Election 1978 Results
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1978 US Senate election in Montana
Max Baucus (Democrat) beat Larry Williams (Republican) in Montana in 1978, 55.7% to 44.3%, a margin of 11.4 points and 32,764 votes.
The Democratic hold continued from 1972, when Lee Metcalf won.
Democrats led in 37 of the 56 counties as they stood then and Republicans in 19. The largest, Yellowstone, cast 35,794 votes and went to the Democrat by 3.9 points. The closest was Ravalli, where 6 votes separated the two parties.
Early projection, based on early and incomplete polling: the likely matchups, each weighted by the betting markets' odds of both nominations, not a result. Each county is its 2024 presidential margin moved by its state's projected swing; set a national vote and every state, district and county moves by the same amount from our projection. Colours run in 100 steps from a safe Republican to a safe Democratic margin. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.
Senate
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Baucus won | Democratic | 160,353 | 55.7% |
| Larry Williams | Republican | 127,589 | 44.3% |
| Total | 287,942 |
Every county
| County | Democrat | Republican | Others | Total | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone | 18,588 51.9% | 17,206 48.1% | 35,794 | D+3.9 | |
| Missoula | 17,745 65.0% | 9,574 35.0% | 27,319 | D+29.9 | |
| Cascade | 13,861 57.2% | 10,356 42.8% | 24,217 | D+14.5 | |
| Flathead | 8,705 51.5% | 8,211 48.5% | 16,916 | D+2.9 | |
| Lewis And Clark | 9,913 59.5% | 6,743 40.5% | 16,656 | D+19.0 | |
| Silver Bow | 11,367 69.0% | 5,109 31.0% | 16,476 | D+38.0 | |
| Gallatin | 7,944 52.9% | 7,068 47.1% | 15,012 | D+5.8 | |
| Ravalli | 4,227 50.0% | 4,221 50.0% | 8,448 | D+0.1 | |
| Lake | 3,411 48.1% | 3,674 51.9% | 7,085 | R+3.7 | |
| Hill | 3,841 62.3% | 2,327 37.7% | 6,168 | D+24.5 | |
| Lincoln | 3,698 65.4% | 1,953 34.6% | 5,651 | D+30.9 | |
| Park | 2,888 54.3% | 2,431 45.7% | 5,319 | D+8.6 | |
| Deer Lodge | 3,928 75.3% | 1,289 24.7% | 5,217 | D+50.6 | |
| Fergus | 2,451 47.5% | 2,710 52.5% | 5,161 | R+5.0 | |
| Custer | 2,624 54.0% | 2,234 46.0% | 4,858 | D+8.0 | |
| Dawson | 2,381 53.2% | 2,093 46.8% | 4,474 | D+6.4 | |
| Valley | 2,317 53.8% | 1,993 46.2% | 4,310 | D+7.5 | |
| Richland | 1,689 44.9% | 2,075 55.1% | 3,764 | R+10.3 | |
| Roosevelt | 1,858 51.4% | 1,760 48.6% | 3,618 | D+2.7 | |
| Carbon | 2,033 56.9% | 1,539 43.1% | 3,572 | D+13.8 | |
| Sanders | 1,892 56.3% | 1,470 43.7% | 3,362 | D+12.6 | |
| Chouteau | 1,715 52.3% | 1,563 47.7% | 3,278 | D+4.6 | |
| Beaverhead | 1,213 37.1% | 2,054 62.9% | 3,267 | R+25.7 | |
| Big Horn | 1,816 57.0% | 1,369 43.0% | 3,185 | D+14.0 | |
| Glacier | 1,705 53.7% | 1,470 46.3% | 3,175 | D+7.4 | |
| Teton | 1,498 48.8% | 1,571 51.2% | 3,069 | R+2.4 | |
| Pondera | 1,568 52.3% | 1,429 47.7% | 2,997 | D+4.6 | |
| Rosebud | 1,577 55.7% | 1,252 44.3% | 2,829 | D+11.5 | |
| Stillwater | 1,517 56.6% | 1,161 43.4% | 2,678 | D+13.3 | |
| Blaine | 1,506 58.3% | 1,077 41.7% | 2,583 | D+16.6 | |
| Powell | 1,548 60.8% | 998 39.2% | 2,546 | D+21.6 | |
| Jefferson | 1,376 54.5% | 1,149 45.5% | 2,525 | D+9.0 | |
| Madison | 978 39.5% | 1,501 60.5% | 2,479 | R+21.1 | |
| Toole | 1,057 44.0% | 1,344 56.0% | 2,401 | R+12.0 | |
| Sheridan | 1,346 58.8% | 944 41.2% | 2,290 | D+17.6 | |
| Phillips | 1,109 49.1% | 1,148 50.9% | 2,257 | R+1.7 | |
| Musselshell | 969 52.2% | 889 47.8% | 1,858 | D+4.3 | |
| Fallon | 851 51.4% | 804 48.6% | 1,655 | D+2.8 | |
| Mineral | 998 62.9% | 588 37.1% | 1,586 | D+25.9 | |
| Judith Basin | 784 50.9% | 755 49.1% | 1,539 | D+1.9 | |
| Sweet Grass | 631 41.1% | 905 58.9% | 1,536 | R+17.8 | |
| Daniels | 713 52.3% | 651 47.7% | 1,364 | D+4.5 | |
| Broadwater | 641 47.2% | 718 52.8% | 1,359 | R+5.7 | |
| Powder River | 603 45.0% | 738 55.0% | 1,341 | R+10.1 | |
| McCone | 708 54.4% | 593 45.6% | 1,301 | D+8.8 | |
| Granite | 610 50.3% | 603 49.7% | 1,213 | D+0.6 | |
| Wheatland | 597 49.3% | 615 50.7% | 1,212 | R+1.5 | |
| Liberty | 549 48.0% | 594 52.0% | 1,143 | R+3.9 | |
| Garfield | 451 46.5% | 518 53.5% | 969 | R+6.9 | |
| Carter | 431 44.9% | 528 55.1% | 959 | R+10.1 | |
| Prairie | 437 46.7% | 498 53.3% | 935 | R+6.5 | |
| Meagher | 358 41.1% | 513 58.9% | 871 | R+17.8 | |
| Wibaux | 380 55.7% | 302 44.3% | 682 | D+11.4 | |
| Treasure | 336 56.0% | 264 44.0% | 600 | D+12.0 | |
| Golden Valley | 269 48.7% | 283 51.3% | 552 | R+2.5 | |
| Petroleum | 147 47.3% | 164 52.7% | 311 | R+5.5 |
Counties as they stood in 1978; some have since been split, merged or renamed. Margin: the Democrat's share of all votes minus the Republican's. Sources and how the results were checked.
Montana Senate elections we hold
| Year | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tim Sheehy (R) | R+7.1 |
| 2020 | Steve Daines (R) | R+10.0 |
| 2018 | Jon Tester (D) | D+3.6 |
| 2014 | Steve Daines (R) | R+17.7 |
| 2012 | Jon Tester (D) | D+3.7 |
| 2008 | Max Baucus (D) | D+45.8 |
| 2006 | Jon Tester (D) | D+0.9 |
| 2002 | Max Baucus (D) | D+31.0 |
| 2000 | Conrad Burns (R) | R+3.3 |
| 1996 | Max Baucus (D) | D+4.9 |
| 1994 | Conrad R. Burns (R) | R+24.7 |
| 1990 | Max Baucus (D) | D+38.7 |
| 1988 | Conrad Burns (R) | R+3.7 |
| 1984 | Max Baucus (D) | D+16.2 |
| 1982 | John Melcher (D) | D+12.8 |
| 1978 | Max Baucus (D) | D+11.4 |
| 1976 | John Melcher (D) | D+28.3 |
| 1972 | Lee Metcalf (D) | D+3.9 |
| 1970 | Mike Mansfield (D) | D+21.1 |
| 1966 | Lee Metcalf (D) | D+6.3 |
| 1964 | Mike Mansfield (D) | D+29.0 |
| 1960 | Lee Metcalf (D) | D+1.5 |
| 1958 | Mike Mansfield (D) | D+52.4 |
| 1954 | James E. Murray (D) | D+0.8 |
| 1952 | Mike Mansfield (D) | D+2.2 |
| 1948 | James E. Murray (D) | D+13.9 |
| 1946 | Zales N. Ecton (R) | R+8.1 |
| 1942 | James E. Murray (D) | D+0.7 |
| 1940 | Burton K. Wheeler (D) | D+46.9 |
| 1936 | James E. Murray (D) | D+27.9 |
| 1934 | Burton K. Wheeler (D) | D+41.4 |
| 1930 | Thomas J. Walsh (D) | D+22.5 |
| 1928 | Burton K. Wheeler (D) | D+6.4 |
| 1924 | Thomas J. Walsh (D) | D+10.4 |
| 1922 | Burton K. Wheeler (D) | D+11.8 |
| 1918 | Thomas J. Walsh (D) | D+5.3 |
| 1916 | Henry L. Myers (D) | D+7.7 |