1976 United States Senate election in Nebraska

none March 2026 September 2023 1976 United States Senate election in Nebraska Nebraska presidential no 1970 United States Senate election in Nebraska 1970 1982 United States Senate election in Nebraska 1982 November 2, 1976 125x136px ZorinskyE(D-NE).jpg Edward Zorinsky Democratic Party (United States) 313,805 52.89% John Y. McCollister.jpg John Y. McCollister Republican Party (United States) 279,284 47.07% 1976 United States Senate election in Nebraska results map by county.svg 300px County resultsZorinsky: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80%McCollister: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% U.S. Senator Roman Hruska Republican Party (United States) Edward Zorinsky Democratic Party (United States) The 1976 United States Senate election in Nebraska took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Republican senator Roman Hruska decided to retire instead of seeking another term. Omaha Mayor Edward Zorinsky, a Republican, switched to the Democratic Party and narrowly won the Democratic primary, and then defeated Congressman John Y. McCollister, the Republican nominee, in the general election. Zorinsky became the first Democrat to win a Senate election in Nebraska since 1934, and the first Jewish person elected to statewide office in the state. Democratic primary Candidates Hess Dyas, former chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Party, 1974 Democratic nominee for NE 1Hess Dyas Will File For Senate Tuesday Lincoln Journal Star Lincoln, Nebraska January 11, 1976 3B https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/166627341/ February 24, 2025 Leonore Etchison, economics graduate student at the University of Nebraska–LincolnCandidate for senate nomination Beatrice Dailiy Sun Beatrice, Nebraska February 24, 1976 6 https://www.newspapers.com/article/beatrice-daily-sun/166627556/ February 24, 2025 Edward Zorinsky, mayor of Omaha Results Democratic primary resultsBeerman Allen J. Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska 1976 https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1200/S001-1976prim_gen.pdf Edward Zorinsky Democratic Party (United States) 79,988 48.58% Hess Dyas Democratic Party (United States) 77,384 46.99% Lenore R. Etchison Democratic Party (United States) 7,194 4.37% Scattering Democratic Party (United States) 102 0.06% 164,668 100.00% Republican primary Candidates John Y. McCollister, U.S. representative from NE 2 Richard Proud, former speaker of the Nebraska Legislature Results Republican primary John Y. McCollister Republican Party (United States) 150,732 78.35% Richard Proud Republican Party (United States) 41,519 21.58% Scattering Republican Party (United States) 122 0.06% 192,373 100.00% General election 1976 United States Senate election in Nebraska Democratic Party (United States) Edward Zorinsky 313,805 52.89% +5.46% Republican Party (United States) John Y. McCollister 279,284 47.07% -5.42% 221 0.04% — 34,521 5.82% +0.76% 593,310 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) See also 1976 United States Senate elections References Nebraska 1976 Category:1976 Nebraska elections