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      Data: MIT Election Lab, VEST, Census Bureau
      Home/Elections/1978/Governor/Illinois
      1978·Governor·Illinois

      Illinois Governor

      Winner
      REP
      James R. Thompson
      59.0%1,859,684 votes
      Runner-up
      DEM
      Michael Bakalis
      40.1%1,263,134 votes
      Margin
      R+18.9
      3,150,095 total votes
      3 candidates3,150,095 total votes
      CandidatePartyVotes ▼%Vote Share
      James R. ThompsonREP✓
      		REP1,859,68459.0%
      Michael BakalisDEM
      		DEM1,263,13440.1%
      OtherOTH
      		OTH27,2770.9%

      Seat History

      Governor in Illinois

      2022
      J.B. PritzkerDEM
      D+12.5
      2018
      J.B. PritzkerDEM
      D+15.7
      2014
      Bruce RaunerREP
      R+3.9
      2010
      Pat QuinnDEM
      D+0.8
      2006
      Rod R BlagojevichDEM
      D+10.5
      2002
      Rod R BlagojevichDEM
      D+7.1
      1998
      George H. RyanREP
      R+3.6
      1994
      Jim EdgarREP
      R+29.4
      1990
      Jim EdgarREP
      R+2.6
      1986
      James R. ThompsonREP
      R+46.0
      1982
      James R. ThompsonREP
      R+0.1
      1976
      James R. ThompsonREP
      R+30.1
      1972
      Daniel WalkerDEM
      D+1.7
      1968
      Richard B. OgilvieREP
      R+2.8
      View all Governor history for Illinois →

      Candidates

      James R. ThompsonREP
      Record4W-0L
      Avg MarginR+23.8
      Career1976-1986
      Governor
      Full profile →
      Michael BakalisDEM
      Record0W-1L
      Avg MarginR+18.9
      Career1978-1978
      Governor
      Full profile →

      Also in Illinois, 1978

      US Senate1 contest →US House24 contests →
      ← All 1978 Governor races1978 overviewIllinois profileAll elections