Elections / 1978 · Senate · MN
The Republican candidate won Minnesota's Senate seat R+16.2.
Minnesota, 1978. Candidate results and statewide totals below.
Minnesota — 1978 Senate result
Source: MIT Election Data + Science Lab, 1976–2024 Senate returns (party-classified by literal ballot party).
Democratic (D)
638,375
40.4%
Republican (R)
894,092
56.6%
All others
48,083
3.0%
Margin
R+16.2
Candidates
Statewide candidate totals — MIT Election Data + Science Lab, 1978 Senate returns.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rudolph E. Boschwitz | RRepublican | 894,092 | 56.6% |
| Wendell Anderson | DDemocrat | 638,375 | 40.4% |
| Sal Carlone | OAmerican | 23,261 | 1.5% |
| William Peterson | OSocialist Workers | 9,856 | 0.6% |
| Brian John Coyle | OPublic Interest Independent | 8,083 | 0.5% |
| Jean T. Brust | OWorkers | 3,891 | 0.2% |
| Leonard Richards | OLibertarian | 2,992 | 0.2% |
Minnesota's Senate margins
Every contest in our store, 1976–2024
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1976 | +42.5% |
| 1978 | −16.2% |
| 1982 | −6.0% |
| 1984 | −16.8% |
| 1988 | −15.3% |
| 1990 | +2.6% |
| 1994 | −5.0% |
| 1996 | +9.0% |
| 2000 | +5.5% |
| 2002 | −1.7% |
| 2006 | +20.1% |
| 2008 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | +34.7% |
| 2014 | +10.2% |
| 2018 | +24.1% |
| 2020 | +5.2% |
| 2024 | +15.7% |