Elections / 1978 · Senate · NJ
The Democratic candidate won New Jersey's Senate seat D+12.2.
New Jersey, 1978. Candidate results and statewide totals below.
New Jersey — 1978 Senate result
Source: MIT Election Data + Science Lab, 1976–2024 Senate returns (party-classified by literal ballot party).
Democratic (D)
1,082,960
55.3%
Republican (R)
844,200
43.1%
All others
30,355
1.6%
Margin
D+12.2
Candidates
Statewide candidate totals — MIT Election Data + Science Lab, 1978 Senate returns.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Bradley | DDemocrat | 1,082,960 | 55.3% |
| Jeffrey Bell | RRepublican | 844,200 | 43.1% |
| Herbert Harry Shaw | OIndependent | 4,736 | 0.2% |
| Bill Gahres | OIndependent | 3,817 | 0.2% |
| Jack Moyers | OIndependent | 3,809 | 0.2% |
| Robert Brown | OLabor | 3,656 | 0.2% |
| J. M. Carter JR. | OIndependent | 3,618 | 0.2% |
| Jasper C. Gould | OIndependent | 2,955 | 0.2% |
| William R. Thorn | OIndependent | 2,776 | 0.1% |
| Paul Ferguson | OIndependent | 2,604 | 0.1% |
| Alice Conner | OIndependent | 2,384 | 0.1% |
New Jersey's Senate margins
Every contest in our store, 1976–2024
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1976 | +22.6% |
| 1978 | +12.2% |
| 1982 | +3.2% |
| 1984 | +29.3% |
| 1988 | +8.4% |
| 1990 | +3.0% |
| 1994 | +3.3% |
| 1996 | +10.1% |
| 2000 | +3.0% |
| 2002 | +9.9% |
| 2006 | +9.0% |
| 2008 | +14.1% |
| 2012 | +19.5% |
| 2014 | +13.5% |
| 2018 | +11.2% |
| 2020 | +16.3% |
| 2024 | +9.6% |