1978 United States Senate election in Virginia

← 1972 November 7, 1978 1984 →

Nominee John Warner Andrew P. Miller Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 613,232 608,511 Percentage 50.17% 49.79%

County and independent city results Warner:      50–60%      60–70% Miller:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election William Lloyd Scott Republican Elected U.S. Senator John Warner Republican

Elections in Virginia
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v t e

The 1978 United States Senate election in Virginia was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican Senator William L. Scott did not run for re-election to a second term. Republican former Secretary of the Navy John Warner narrowly defeated Democratic Attorney General of Virginia Andrew P. Miller to succeed him. Originally, this election was a match between Republican Richard Obenshain and Miller, then Obenshain died in a plane crash, leaving the party in disarray. Warner was then nominated to run in Obenshain's place, and his victorious election thrust him into a thirty-year career in the United States Senate, which started with this election.

Republican nomination

Candidates

• Linwood Holton, former Governor of Virginia (1970–1974) and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs (1974–1975)
• Nathan H. Miller, State Senator from Harrisonburg
• Richard D. Obenshain, Chairman of the Virginia Republican Party since 1972 and nominee for Attorney General in 1969
• John W. Warner, former United States Secretary of the Navy

Convention

Obenshain's victory set up the general election as a rematch of the 1969 Attorney General race between him and Andrew P. Miller, the Democratic nominee who defeated Obenshain in 1969.

Aftermath

On August 2, Obenshain died in a twin-engine plane crash, effectively shaking up this election. He was then replaced by Warner after other recruits turned down the chance to be nominated in respect for Obenshain.^[2][3]

Results