The 1978 Kansas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978. Democratic nominee John W. Carlin defeated incumbent

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Robert Frederick Bennett Robert Frederick Bennett (May 23, 1927 – October 9, 2000) was an American lawyer and the 39th governor of Kansas from 1975 to 1979. Biography Bennett was born May 23, 1927, in Kansas City, Missouri. He married Joan Gregory, whom he met at ...

with 49.4% of the vote. , this marks the last occasion in which the following counties have voted Democratic in a gubernatorial election:

Gray Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

, and Ness and until 2022, this was the last gubernatorial election where a Democratic governor was elected during the tenure of a Democratic president.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on August 1, 1978.

Democratic primary

Candidates

* John W. Carlin, Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives *Bert Chaney *Harry G. Wiles

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

, incumbent

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

*Robert R. "Bob" Sanders *Harold Knight

Results

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates *John W. Carlin, Democratic *Robert Frederick Bennett, Republican Other candidates *Frank W. Shelton Jr., American *Berry Beets, Prohibition

Results

References

{{United States elections, 1978 1978

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

Gubernatorial A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...