1978 United States Senate election in Arkansas

1978 United States Senate election in Arkansas

← 1972 November 7, 1978 1984 →
 
Nominee David Pryor Thomas Kelly Jr. John G. Black
Party Democratic Republican Independent
Popular vote 399,916 84,722 37,488
Percentage 76.58% 16.22% 7.18%

County results
Pryor:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election

Kaneaster Hodges Jr.
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

David H. Pryor
Democratic

The 1978 United States Senate election in Arkansas took place on November 7, 1978. Incumbent U.S. Senator John L. McClellan had died the previous December, leaving the seat vacant. Interim appointee Kaneaster Hodges Jr. did not run to the full seat, and was succeeded by Governor of Arkansas David Pryor.

Pryor won a highly-competitive three-way primary against U.S. Representatives Jim Guy Tucker and Ray Thornton, then defeated Tucker in a run-off election. Having secured the Democratic nomination, which was often tantamount to election in the American South prior to the 1980s, Pryor easily defeated Republican nominee Thomas Kelly and independent candidate John Black.


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