1976 United States Senate election in Michigan

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1976 United States Senate election in Michigan
Flag of Michigan.svg
  1970 November 2, 1976 1982  
  Riegle2.jpg Marvin Esch.png
Nominee Don Riegle Marvin Esch
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote1,831,0311,635,087
Percentage52.46%46.85%

1976 United States Senate election in Michigan results map by county.svg
County results
Riegle:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Esch:      40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%

U.S. senator before election

Philip Hart
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Don Riegle
Democratic

The 1976 United States Senate election in Michigan took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Philip Hart decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term because he had terminal cancer. Republican turned Democrat Representative Donald Riegle won the open seat, keeping it in Democrats' hands despite Gerald Ford's victory in the concurrent presidential election.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

1976 Democratic U.S. Senate primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Donald Riegle 325,705 44.31%
Democratic Richard H. Austin 208,31028.34%
Democratic James G. O'Hara 170,47323.19%
Democratic James L. Elsman30,6554.17%
Total votes735,143 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

1976 Republican U.S. Senate primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Marvin L. Esch 209,250 44.23%
Republican Thomas E. Brennan 129,91727.46%
Republican Robert J. Huber 82,09217.35%
Republican Deane Baker51,85210.96%
Total votes473,111 100.00%

General election

Results

General election results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Don Riegle 1,831,031 52.46% Decrease2.svg14.38
Republican Marvin Esch 1,635,08746.85%Increase2.svg13.96
Libertarian Bette Jane Erwin8,8420.25%N/A
Human Rights Theodore G. Albert7,2810.21%N/A
Socialist Workers Paula L. Reimers3,3990.10%Decrease2.svg0.05
Socialist Labor Frank Girard2,5540.07%Decrease2.svg0.06
U.S. Labor Peter A. Signorelli2,2180.06%N/A
Total votes3,490,412 100.00%
Democratic hold Swing

Aftermath

Incumbent Senator Hart died of melanoma on December 26, and Riegle was appointed to finish the remaining days of his final term in office, giving him seniority over his freshman colleagues.

See also

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References

  1. "Our Campaigns - MI US Senate - D Primary Race - Aug 03, 1976".
  2. "Our Campaigns - MI US Senate - R Primary Race - Aug 03, 1976".
  3. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 2, 1976" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives. p. 21.