The 1978 United States Senate election in Nebraska was held on November 7, 1978. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Carl Curtis decided to retire instead of seeking a fifth term. In the elections, the Democratic nominee J. James Exon won the open seat. This election was the first time ever that a Democrat won the Class 2 Senate seat in Nebraska, as the second time ever that a non-Republican won this seat (along with the 1936 election).