John Evans Democratic John V. Evans Democratic The 1978 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 7, and incumbent Democrat John Evans defeated Republican nominee Allan Larsen with 58.75% of the vote.

[1][2][3] It was the third consecutive win for the Democrats (1970, 1974, 1978), but the only significant victory for the party in Idaho in 1978.

[5][6][7] Elected lieutenant governor in 1974, he succeeded Cecil Andrus in January 1977,[8][9] who left to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior in the new Carter Administration.

[10] Entering the primary, Vern Ravenscroft and Butch Otter were the apparent front runners,[11][12] but were upset by Larsen.

Both major candidates were members,[19] and through 2023, Evans remains the only Mormon to be elected governor in the state.