<page_title> 1978 United States Senate elections </page_title> <section_title> Elections leading to the next Congress </section_title> <table> <cell> Alabama <col_header> State (linked to summaries below) </col_header> <col_header> Senator </col_header> </cell> <cell> John Sparkman <col_header> Incumbent </col_header> <col_header> Party </col_header> </cell> <cell> Democratic <col_header> Incumbent </col_header> <col_header> Electoral history </col_header> </cell> <cell> Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Democratic hold <col_header> Results </col_header> </cell> <cell> √ Howell Heflin (Democratic) 94.0% Jerome B. Couch (Prohibition) 6.0% <col_header> Candidates </col_header> </cell> </table>
Incumbent Democratic Senator John Sparkman of Alabama retired and was succeeded by Howell Heflin.