the Republican Party's nomination unopposed. Oklahoma Republican Dewey F. Bartlett retired instead of seeking a second term due to his declining health. In the elections, Democratic nominee David Boren won the open seat over Republican Robert B. Kamm. Bartlett died 2 months after leaving the U.S Senate Oregon Republican senator Mark Hatfield successfully ran for re-election to a third term, defeating Democrat Vernon Cook, State Legislator and candidate for U.S. Representative in 1970 and 1974. Rhode Island Democrat Claiborne Pell successfully sought re-election, defeating Republican James G. Reynolds. South Carolina Popular incumbent Republican Strom Thurmond defeated Democratic challenger Charles D. Ravenel. The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary for governor on June 13, 1978. Charles D. Ravenel, an unsuccessful candidate in the 1974 gubernatorial contest, originally planned to run for governor again in 1978, but was convinced by Vice President Walter Mondale in 1977 to run for senator. He garnered over 50% of the vote in the primary and avoided a runoff election. Senator Strom Thurmond faced no opposition from South Carolina Republicans and avoided a primary election. Thurmond generally ignored Ravenel on the campaign and refused to debate him. When they did cross paths, Thurmond criticized Ravenel for never having held a political office. Ravenel did not help his cause by his actions in the 1974 gubernatorial race when he refused to endorse the Democratic nominee after he had been disqualified. This irritated many Democrats and they also accused him of being nothing more than a liberal New Yorker. Age was beginning to become an issue with Thurmond, so to combat perceptions of old age, Thurmond often appeared with his children on the campaign trail. While 1978 was generally a Democratic year, Thurmond was able to pull off a commanding victory over Ravenel. South Dakota Incumbent Democrat James Abourezk retired instead of seeking a second term. In the elections, Republican Congressman Larry Pressler won the open seat over Democratic former Mayor of Rapid City Don Barnett, thus becoming the first Vietnam veteran to serve in the Senate Tennessee Two-term popular incumbent Howard Baker, who had served as United States Senate Minority Leader since 1977, ran for reelection against first-time candidate and Democratic Party activist Jane Eskind. In the August 3 Democratic primary Eskind won in an open primary against eight other candidates: Eskind - 196,156 (34.52%) Bruce - 170,795 (30.06%) Lee - 89,939 (15.83%) Boyd - 48,458 (8.53%)