Quie:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Rudy Perpich Democratic (DFL) Al Quie Ind.-Republican The 1978 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1978.

Independent-Republican Party candidate U.S. House Rep Al Quie defeated Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party incumbent Rudy Perpich.

Primary elections were held on September 12.

Perpich and Quie each won their party's nomination easily over Alice Tripp and Robert W. Johnson, respectively.

Richard Pedersen was unopposed for the minor American Party nomination.