1978 Wyoming gubernatorial election

← 1974 November 7, 1978 1982 →

Nominee Edgar Herschler John Ostlund Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 69,972 67,595 Percentage 50.86% 49.14%

County results Herschler:      50–60%      60–70% Ostlund:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Edgar Herschler Democratic Elected Governor Edgar Herschler Democratic

Elections in Wyoming
Federal government Presidential elections 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential caucuses Democratic 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1890 1895 1895 sp 1899 1901 1905 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1930 sp 1934 1934 sp 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1954 1954 sp 1958 1960 1962 sp 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2008 sp 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1989 sp 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government General elections 1890 1894 1898 1902 1904 1906 1910 1914 1918 1922 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1952 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 Gubernatorial elections 1890 1892 sp 1894 1898 1902 1904 sp 1906 1910 1914 1918 1922 1924 sp 1926 1930 1932 sp 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Secretary of State elections 2014 2018 2022 Senate elections 2016 2018 2020 2022 House of Representatives elections 2018 2020 2022
v t e

The 1978 Wyoming gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic Governor Edgar Herschler ran for re-election to a second term. After winning a contested Democratic primary, he advanced to the general election, where he faced former State Senator John Ostlund, the Republican nominee. Despite the strong Republican performance nationwide, Herschler's personal popularity allowed him to narrowly win re-election to Ostlund, making him the first Democratic Governor to win re-election since Lester C. Hunt in 1946.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Edgar Herschler, incumbent Governor
• Margaret McKinstry, member of the Laramie County Community College Board of Trustees^[1]

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• John Ostlund, former State Senator^[3]
• Gus Fleischli, former State Representative^[4]
• Jim Bace, real estate agent^[5]

Results

Results