South Dakota — 1978 U.S. Senate election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate1978 Senate electionSouth Dakota · U.S. SenatePresslerR+33.7
How it voted
Share of the 1978 vote
| Larry Pressler ✓Republican | 66.8% | 170,832 |
|---|---|---|
| Don BarnettDemocrat | 33.2% | 84,767 |
1978Senate margin
D+60R+60
67 counties, each filled by 1978 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
County-level results (67 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| AURORA, SD | Republican | R+26.9 |
| BEADLE, SD | Republican | R+16.8 |
| BENNETT, SD | Republican | R+17.7 |
| BON HOMME, SD | Republican | R+44.4 |
| BROOKINGS, SD | Republican | R+27.5 |
| BROWN, SD | Republican | R+38.2 |
| BRULE, SD | Republican | R+23.6 |
| BUFFALO, SD | Democratic | D+5.2 |
| BUTTE, SD | Republican | R+41.8 |
| CAMPBELL, SD | Republican | R+68.3 |
| CHARLES MIX, SD | Republican | R+22.1 |
| CLARK, SD | Republican | R+47.4 |
| CLAY, SD | Republican | R+28.5 |
| CODINGTON, SD | Republican | R+36.9 |
| CORSON, SD | Republican | R+14.8 |
| CUSTER, SD | Republican | R+34.4 |
| DAVISON, SD | Republican | R+20.1 |
| DAY, SD | Republican | R+25.5 |
| DEUEL, SD | Republican | R+47.1 |
| DEWEY, SD | Republican | R+9.0 |
| DOUGLAS, SD | Republican | R+55.0 |
| EDMUNDS, SD | Republican | R+45.0 |
| FALL RIVER, SD | Republican | R+35.4 |
| FAULK, SD | Republican | R+36.9 |
| GRANT, SD | Republican | R+37.9 |
| GREGORY, SD | Republican | R+33.2 |
| HAAKON, SD | Republican | R+57.0 |
| HAMLIN, SD | Republican | R+47.0 |
| HAND, SD | Republican | R+41.4 |
| HANSON, SD | Republican | R+27.6 |
| HARDING, SD | Republican | R+59.7 |
| HUGHES, SD | Republican | R+33.0 |
| HUTCHINSON, SD | Republican | R+56.9 |
| HYDE, SD | Republican | R+36.3 |
| JACKSON, SD | Republican | R+36.2 |
| JERAULD, SD | Republican | R+39.4 |
| JONES, SD | Republican | R+50.2 |
| KINGSBURY, SD | Republican | R+42.5 |
| LAKE, SD | Republican | R+35.1 |
| LAWRENCE, SD | Republican | R+28.0 |
| LINCOLN, SD | Republican | R+36.1 |
| LYMAN, SD | Republican | R+35.1 |
| MARSHALL, SD | Republican | R+34.7 |
| MCCOOK, SD | Republican | R+38.1 |
| MCPHERSON, SD | Republican | R+75.1 |
| MEADE, SD | Republican | R+48.4 |
| MELLETTE, SD | Republican | R+24.1 |
| MINER, SD | Republican | R+26.1 |
| MINNEHAHA, SD | Republican | R+27.6 |
| MOODY, SD | Republican | R+29.9 |
| PENNINGTON, SD | Republican | R+41.0 |
| PERKINS, SD | Republican | R+30.8 |
| POTTER, SD | Republican | R+46.2 |
| ROBERTS, SD | Republican | R+28.4 |
| SANBORN, SD | Republican | R+30.4 |
| SHANNON, SD | Democratic | D+48.5 |
| SPINK, SD | Republican | R+28.8 |
| STANLEY, SD | Republican | R+33.8 |
| SULLY, SD | Republican | R+49.5 |
| TODD, SD | Democratic | D+28.9 |
| TRIPP, SD | Republican | R+40.1 |
| TURNER, SD | Republican | R+51.2 |
| UNION, SD | Republican | R+34.5 |
| WALWORTH, SD | Republican | R+49.6 |
| WASHABAUGH, SD | No result | Tied |
| YANKTON, SD | Republican | R+44.2 |
| ZIEBACH, SD | Republican | R+16.7 |
presidential baselinePresident 1976R+1.5Senate 1978R+33.7vs. baselineR+32.2
South Dakota's 1978 Senate race ran 32.2 points more Republican than its 1976 presidential margin.
South Dakota's Senate margins
Every comparable D–R contest in our store, 1978–2022
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1978 | −33.7% |
| 1980 | −18.8% |
| 1984 | −49.0% |
| 1986 | +3.2% |
| 1990 | −7.3% |
| 1992 | +32.4% |
| 1996 | +2.6% |
| 1998 | +25.7% |
| 2002 | +0.2% |
| 2004 | −1.2% |
| 2008 | +25.0% |
| 2010 | −100.0% |
| 2014 | −20.9% |
| 2016 | −43.7% |
| 2020 | −31.5% |
| 2022 | −43.5% |
Same ballot, 1978SD
Source. MIT Election Data + Science Lab — 1978 US Senate returns, party-classified by literal ballot party · county returns aggregated from precinct-level results. Real returns — nothing estimated.