1978 United States Senate elections

1978 United States Senate elections

← 1976 November 7, 1978 1980 →
35 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Robert Byrd Howard Baker Party Democratic Republican Leader since January 3, 1977 January 3, 1977 Leader's seat West Virginia Tennessee Seats before 61 38 Seats after 58 41 Seat change 3 3 Popular vote 15,302,929[1] 14,794,225[1] Percentage 49.9% 48.2% Seats up 18 17 Races won 15 20   Third party   Party Independent Seats before 1 Seats after 1[a] Seat change Seats up 0 Races won 0
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Republican gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      No election Rectangular inset (Ala. & Minn.): both seats up for election
Majority Leader before election Robert Byrd Democratic Elected Majority Leader Robert Byrd Democratic

The 1978 United States Senate elections were held on November 7, in the middle of Democratic President Jimmy Carter's term. The 33 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies.

Thirteen seats changed hands between parties, resulting in a net gain of three seats for the Republicans allowing them to break the Democrats' filibuster-proof majority. Democrats nevertheless retained a 58–41 majority.

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