The 1978 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph was re-elected to a fifth term and a fourth full term in office, narrowly defeating Republican Arch Moore, a former Governor. Despite his defeat, Moore's daughter, Shelley Moore Capito, would later win election to this seat in 2014, becoming the first female Senator from the state. This was the closest Senate election in West Virginia from the five Senate elections in West Virginia that Jennings Randolph had won.
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County results Randolph: 50–60% 60–70% Moore: 50–60% 60–70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jennings Randolph (incumbent) | 181,480 | 80.49% | |
Democratic | Sharon Rogers | 43,991 | 19.51% | |
Total votes | 225,471 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Arch Moore | 90,406 | 90.57% | |
Republican | Donald G. Michels | 9,414 | 9.43% | |
Total votes | 99,820 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Jennings Randolph (incumbent) | 249,034 | 50.48% | 15.97 | |
Republican | Arch Moore | 244,317 | 49.52% | 15.97 | |
Total votes | 493,351 | 100.00% | |||
Democratic hold |