North Carolina — 1978 U.S. Senate election
Recent presidential results
Akashicstate1978 Senate electionNorth Carolina · U.S. SenateHelmsR+9.0
How it voted
Share of the 1978 vote
| Jesse Helms ✓Republican | 54.5% | 619,151 |
|---|---|---|
| John Randolph IngramDemocrat | 45.5% | 516,663 |
1978Senate margin
D+60R+60
100 counties, each filled by 1978 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
County-level results (100 counties) — table
| County | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| ALAMANCE, NC | Republican | R+14.5 |
| ALEXANDER, NC | Republican | R+13.2 |
| ALLEGHANY, NC | Republican | R+1.0 |
| ANSON, NC | Democratic | D+35.5 |
| ASHE, NC | Republican | R+6.6 |
| AVERY, NC | Republican | R+44.8 |
| BEAUFORT, NC | Republican | R+2.6 |
| BERTIE, NC | Democratic | D+18.6 |
| BLADEN, NC | Democratic | D+20.4 |
| BRUNSWICK, NC | Democratic | D+1.4 |
| BUNCOMBE, NC | Republican | R+2.9 |
| BURKE, NC | Republican | R+6.4 |
| CABARRUS, NC | Republican | R+20.6 |
| CALDWELL, NC | Republican | R+8.4 |
| CAMDEN, NC | Democratic | D+16.4 |
| CARTERET, NC | Republican | R+10.3 |
| CASWELL, NC | Democratic | D+0.8 |
| CATAWBA, NC | Republican | R+24.0 |
| CHATHAM, NC | Democratic | D+1.1 |
| CHEROKEE, NC | Republican | R+0.1 |
| CHOWAN, NC | Democratic | D+5.4 |
| CLAY, NC | Republican | R+14.3 |
| CLEVELAND, NC | Democratic | D+3.3 |
| COLUMBUS, NC | Democratic | D+16.5 |
| CRAVEN, NC | Republican | R+7.5 |
| CUMBERLAND, NC | Republican | R+2.5 |
| CURRITUCK, NC | Democratic | D+12.2 |
| DARE, NC | Republican | R+4.5 |
| DAVIDSON, NC | Republican | R+9.1 |
| DAVIE, NC | Republican | R+28.3 |
| DUPLIN, NC | Republican | R+2.0 |
| DURHAM, NC | Republican | R+2.8 |
| EDGECOMBE, NC | Republican | R+6.8 |
| FORSYTH, NC | Republican | R+13.4 |
| FRANKLIN, NC | Republican | R+12.5 |
| GASTON, NC | Republican | R+11.9 |
| GATES, NC | Democratic | D+31.5 |
| GRAHAM, NC | Republican | R+6.2 |
| GRANVILLE, NC | Republican | R+14.8 |
| GREENE, NC | Republican | R+11.4 |
| GUILFORD, NC | Republican | R+9.3 |
| HALIFAX, NC | Republican | R+17.7 |
| HARNETT, NC | Republican | R+17.9 |
| HAYWOOD, NC | Democratic | D+10.5 |
| HENDERSON, NC | Republican | R+23.8 |
| HERTFORD, NC | Democratic | D+15.5 |
| HOKE, NC | Democratic | D+19.0 |
| HYDE, NC | Democratic | D+1.3 |
| IREDELL, NC | Republican | R+17.1 |
| JACKSON, NC | Democratic | D+8.0 |
| JOHNSTON, NC | Republican | R+26.7 |
| JONES, NC | Republican | R+0.9 |
| LEE, NC | Republican | R+18.1 |
| LENOIR, NC | Republican | R+26.3 |
| LINCOLN, NC | Democratic | D+0.8 |
| MACON, NC | Republican | R+11.6 |
| MADISON, NC | Democratic | D+13.1 |
| MARTIN, NC | Democratic | D+1.6 |
| MCDOWELL, NC | Democratic | D+2.4 |
| MECKLENBURG, NC | Republican | R+13.7 |
| MITCHELL, NC | Republican | R+39.1 |
| MONTGOMERY, NC | Democratic | D+0.9 |
| MOORE, NC | Republican | R+21.2 |
| NASH, NC | Republican | R+33.3 |
| NEW HANOVER, NC | Republican | R+23.4 |
| NORTHAMPTON, NC | Democratic | D+29.4 |
| ONSLOW, NC | Republican | R+8.3 |
| ORANGE, NC | Democratic | D+19.5 |
| PAMLICO, NC | Democratic | D+10.4 |
| PASQUOTANK, NC | Democratic | D+3.8 |
| PENDER, NC | Republican | R+3.4 |
| PERQUIMANS, NC | Democratic | D+8.7 |
| PERSON, NC | Republican | R+37.5 |
| PITT, NC | Republican | R+7.7 |
| POLK, NC | Republican | R+12.5 |
| RANDOLPH, NC | Republican | R+23.5 |
| RICHMOND, NC | Democratic | D+36.8 |
| ROBESON, NC | Democratic | D+20.0 |
| ROCKINGHAM, NC | Republican | R+2.1 |
| ROWAN, NC | Republican | R+14.0 |
| RUTHERFORD, NC | Democratic | D+1.9 |
| SAMPSON, NC | Republican | R+12.1 |
| SCOTLAND, NC | Democratic | D+10.7 |
| STANLY, NC | Republican | R+10.5 |
| STOKES, NC | Republican | R+7.6 |
| SURRY, NC | Republican | R+4.2 |
| SWAIN, NC | Democratic | D+13.3 |
| TRANSYLVANIA, NC | Republican | R+3.0 |
| TYRRELL, NC | Democratic | D+18.8 |
| UNION, NC | Republican | R+9.7 |
| VANCE, NC | Republican | R+16.9 |
| WAKE, NC | Republican | R+18.1 |
| WARREN, NC | Democratic | D+8.6 |
| WASHINGTON, NC | Democratic | D+23.7 |
| WATAUGA, NC | Republican | R+9.7 |
| WAYNE, NC | Republican | R+21.8 |
| WILKES, NC | Republican | R+13.2 |
| WILSON, NC | Republican | R+23.2 |
| YADKIN, NC | Republican | R+29.3 |
| YANCEY, NC | Democratic | D+4.4 |
presidential baselinePresident 1976D+11.0Senate 1978R+9.0vs. baselineR+20.1
North Carolina's 1978 Senate race ran 20.1 points more Republican than its 1976 presidential margin.
North Carolina's Senate margins
Every comparable D–R contest in our store, 1978–2022
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1978 | −9.0% |
| 1980 | −0.6% |
| 1984 | −3.9% |
| 1986 | +1.8% |
| 1990 | −5.1% |
| 1992 | −4.0% |
| 1996 | −6.7% |
| 1998 | +4.1% |
| 2002 | −8.6% |
| 2004 | −4.6% |
| 2008 | +8.5% |
| 2010 | −11.8% |
| 2014 | −1.6% |
| 2016 | −5.7% |
| 2020 | −1.7% |
| 2022 | −3.2% |
Same ballot, 1978NC
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.