1976 United States Senate election in Wyoming

← 1970 November 2, 1976 1982 →

Nominee Malcolm Wallop Gale W. McGee Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 84,810 70,558 Percentage 54.59% 45.41%

County results Wallop:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% McGee:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Gale W. McGee Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Malcolm Wallop Republican

Elections in Wyoming
Federal government Presidential elections 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential caucuses Democratic 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1890 1895 1895 sp 1899 1901 1905 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1930 sp 1934 1934 sp 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1954 1954 sp 1958 1960 1962 sp 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2008 sp 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1989 sp 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government General elections 1890 1894 1898 1902 1904 1906 1910 1914 1918 1922 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1952 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 Gubernatorial elections 1890 1892 sp 1894 1898 1902 1904 sp 1906 1910 1914 1918 1922 1924 sp 1926 1930 1932 sp 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Secretary of State elections 2014 2018 2022 Senate elections 2016 2018 2020 2022 House of Representatives elections 2018 2020 2022
v t e

The 1976 United States Senate election in Wyoming took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democratic Senator Gale W. McGee ran for re-election to his fourth term. Following a close win in his first race in 1958, McGee won wider victories in 1964 and 1970, even as the state's electorate grew more conservative. In 1976, McGee faced a strong challenge from State Senator Malcolm Wallop, the Republican nominee. Despite McGee's past victories in the state, he faced considerable headwinds as President Gerald Ford won the state over Jimmy Carter convincingly, even as Ford was losing nationwide. In the end, despite McGee's ability to significantly outperform other Democratic candidates, he was unable to defeat Wallop, and lost re-election by a fairly wide margin, winning just 45% of the vote to Wallop's 55%. Malcolm Wallop's swearing-in or inauguration marked the first time since 1954 that Republicans held both United States Senate seats from Wyoming.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Gale W. McGee, incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Malcolm Wallop, State Senator, 1974 Republican candidate for Governor
• Nels T. Larson^[2]
• Doyle Henry, perennial candidate^[3]

Results

General election

Results