1976 United States Senate election in Montana

none March 2026 September 2023 1976 United States Senate election in Montana Montana 1905 presidential no 1970 United States Senate election in Montana 1970 1982 United States Senate election in Montana 1982 November 2, 1976 File:Rep John Melcher.jpg 150x150px John Melcher Democratic Party (United States) 206,232 64.16% 3x4.svg Stanley Burger Republican Party (United States) 115,213 35.84% 1976 United States Senate election in Montana results map by county.svg 300px County resultsMelcher: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #3933e5 80–90% Burger: #e27f7f 50–60% U.S. Senator Mike Mansfield Democratic Party (United States) John Melcher Democratic Party (United States) The 1976 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 2, 1976. Rather than seek a fifth term, incumbent United States Senator Mike Mansfield, a Democrat, 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, by a wide margin in the general election. This was the first open seat election in Montana since 1960 and the first open seat election in Montana for the Class 1 Senate seat since 1922. Democratic primary Candidates Ray Gulick, farmer John Melcher, United States congressman from Montana's 2nd congressional district Results Democratic Party primary resultshttps://archive.org/stream/primaryofficial1976montrich#page/n0/mode/2up Report of the Official Canvass of the Vote Cast at the Primary Election Held in the State of Montana, June 1, 1976 Montana Secretary of State July 2, 2014 Jack Melcher Democratic Party (United States) 89,413 88.52 Ray E. Gulick Democratic Party (United States) 11,593 11.48 101,006 100.00 Republican primary Candidates Stanley C. Burger, former executive officer of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation Dave Drum Larry L. Gilbert Jack Tierney Results Republican primary results Stanley C. Burger Republican Party (United States) 32,313 40.41 Dave Drum Republican Party (United States) 27,257 34.09 Jack Tierney Republican Party (United States) 15,129 18.92 Larry L. Gilbert Republican Party (United States) 5,258 6.58 79,957 100.00 General election Results United States Senate election in Montana, 1976http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1976election.pdf Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 2, 1976 Clerk of the United States House of Representatives July 2, 2014 Democratic Party (United States) John Melcher 206,232 64.16% +3.62% Republican Party (United States) Stanley C. Burger 115,213 35.84% -3.62% 91,019 28.32% +7.24% 321,445 Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) See also 1976 United States Senate elections References Montana 1976 Category:1976 Montana elections Category:1976 in Montana