The 1976 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate. Held on November 2, the 33 seats of Class 1 were contested in regular elections. They coincided with DemocratJimmy Carter's presidential election and the United States Bicentennial celebration. Although almost half of the seats decided in this election changed parties, Carter's narrow victory did not provide coattails for the Democratic Party. Each party flipped seven Senate seats, although, one of the seats flipped by Democrats was previously held by a Conservative.
This was the first election in which the Libertarian Party competed, running candidates in 9 of the 33 contested seats. As of 2025[update] this is the first and so far only time both party leaders retired from the Senate in the same election cycle since the creation of the positions. This is the last time Democrats or any party won a 60% supermajority via direct elections (although Democrats briefly held one in the summer of 2009).
Five Democrats either resigned or died between at the end of 93rd Congress and during the 94th Congress. All were initially replaced by Democratic appointees.
Incumbent lost re-election. Republican gain. Incumbent resigned January 1, 1977 to give successor preferential seniority. Winner appointed January 2, 1977.
Incumbent retired. Democratic gain. Incumbent resigned December 27, 1976 to give successor preferential seniority. Winner appointed December 28, 1976 to finish the term.
Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. Incumbent resigned December 28, 1976 to give successor preferential seniority. Winner appointed December 29, 1976.
Incumbent Democrat Philip Hart retired instead of seeking a fourth term. Democrat Donald Riegle, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, won the open seat over fellow congressman Republican Marvin Esch.
Rather than seek a fifth term, Democratic incumbent Mike Mansfield opted to retire, creating an open seat. United States Congressman John Melcher, who had represented Montana's 2nd congressional district from 1969 to 1977, won the Democratic nomination and defeated Stanley C. Burger, the Republican nominee and former executive officer of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, by a wide margin in the general election.
In the Senate, Cannon was known as a moderate in the Democratic Party. He served as chairman of several committees, including the rules committee and the inaugural arrangements committee. Cannon was nearly defeated for re-election in 1964 by Republican Lieutenant Governor Paul Laxalt in one of the closest election in history. However, he became more popular over the next few years and won re-election in 1970 with nearly 58% of the vote. In 1976, he faced U.S. Representative David Towell, who served just one term in the U.S. House of Representatives before running for the U.S. Senate. Cannon won re-election with 63% of the vote, one of his best election performances of his career. He won every county in the state, except for Eureka County, which Towell won with just 51% of the vote.
Harrison A. Williams, the incumbent originally elected in 1958, elected to run for a fourth term. He defeated anti-abortion activist Stephen J. Foley handily in the Democratic primary with 85% of the vote. David A. Norcross won the Republican primary with the endorsement of the New Jersey Republican Party with 68% of the vote.
In the general election, Williams soundly won re-election to a fourth term over Norcross. He won 60% of the vote, winning every county in the state. This would be Williams' last election to the U.S. Senate, as he would resign in 1981 following his involvement in the Abscam scandal.
1976 United States Senate election in New Jersey
Results[1]
In December 1975, U.S. senator Hugh Scott announced that he would not seek re-election in 1976 at the age of 75 after serving in Congress for 33 years. Scott listed personal reasons and several "well-qualified potential candidates" for the seat among the reasons of his decision to retire. Other reasons, including his support for Richard Nixon and accusations that he had illegally obtained contributions from Gulf Oil were alleged to have contributed to the decision.[17]
Heinz was the victor in all but nine counties, defeating opponent William Green, who had a 300,000 vote advantage in his native Philadelphia area. Heinz and Green spend $2.5 million and $900,000, respectively, during the ten-month campaign. Much of the money Heinz spent on his campaign was his own, leading to accusations from Green that he was "buying the seat". Heinz replied to this by claiming that the spending was necessary to overcome the Democratic voter registration advantage.[20]
For most of the state's history, West Virginia has been a solidly Democratic state. Often, winning the Democratic primary was tantamount to winning the general election in the state. Despite West Virginia occasionally electing a Republican governor (Arch A. Moore Jr. and Cecil H. Underwood both served as governor) and voting for Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, West Virginia has only elected Democratic Senators since 1958. Byrd had faced Republican opposition every term since he defeated Chapman Revercomb in 1958, but the Republicans chose not to mount a nominee in 1976.[31] Freshman Congressman Cleve Benedict would serve as the Republican nominee in 1982.
1976 United States Senate election in West Virginia
Results[1]
Originally elected in 1957 to fill the seat of Joseph McCarthy, William Proxmire had won re-election three times prior to 1976. He only faced significant Republican opposition twice during his re-election years, winning 70% of the vote and every county in 1970. Clergyman Stanley York was the Republican nominee. Proxmire ultimately defeated York and increased his margin of victory by 4%. Proxmire would serve two more terms, ultimately retiring in 1989.
1976 United States Senate election in Wisconsin
Results[1]
Gale W. McGee, the incumbent senator and former professor at the University of Wyoming, was originally elected in 1958 over Frank A. Barrett. He subsequently won two more elections to the senate over John S. Wold. McGee, who managed to become re-elected several times in a heavily Republican-leaning state, faced headwinds from Gerald Ford's popularity in the state. State senator Malcolm Wallop was the Republican nominee.
In the general election, Wallop comfortably defeated McGee, who won just four counties in the state. To date, McGee is the last Democratic senator from the state of Wyoming.
1976 United States Senate election in Wyoming
Results[1]
^Byrd was appointed to the US Senate in 1965 and elected to finish his father's term in 1966 as a Democrat; he was re-elected in 1970 as an independent.
Congressional Elections, 1946-1996. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN1-56802-248-4.
Scammon, Richard M.; McGillivray, Alice V. (1977). America Votes 12: a handbook of contemporary American election statistics, 1976. Washington, D.C.: Elections Research Center.
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