1976 United States Senate election in Michigan

none March 2026 September 2023 1976 United States Senate election in Michigan Michigan presidential no 1970 United States Senate election in Michigan 1970 1982 United States Senate election in Michigan 1982 November 2, 1976 150x150px Riegle2.jpg Don Riegle Democratic Party (United States) 1,831,031 52.46% Marvin Esch.png Marvin Esch Republican Party (United States) 1,635,087 46.85% 1976 United States Senate election in Michigan results map by county.svg 300px County resultsRiegle: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Esch: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% U.S. Senator Philip Hart Democratic Party (United States) Don Riegle Democratic Party (United States) 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. Democratic primary Candidates Richard H. Austin, Michigan Secretary of State James L. Elsman James G. O'Hara, U.S. Representative from Utica Donald Riegle, U.S. Representative from Flint Results 1976 Democratic U.S. Senate primaryhttps://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=329036 Our Campaigns - MI US Senate - D Primary Race - Aug 03, 1976 Donald Riegle Democratic Party (US) 325,705 44.31% Richard H. Austin Democratic Party (US) 208,310 28.34% James G. O'Hara Democratic Party (US) 170,473 23.19% James L. Elsman Democratic Party (US) 30,655 4.17% 735,143 100.00% Republican primary Candidates Deane Baker Thomas E. Brennan, former Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court Marvin L. Esch, U.S. Representative from Ann Arbor Robert J. Huber, former U.S. Representative from Troy and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1970 Results 1976 Republican U.S. Senate primaryhttps://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=329037 Our Campaigns - MI US Senate - R Primary Race - Aug 03, 1976 Marvin L. Esch Republican Party (US) 209,250 44.23% Thomas E. Brennan Republican Party (US) 129,917 27.46% Robert J. Huber Republican Party (US) 82,092 17.35% Deane Baker Republican Party (US) 51,852 10.96% 473,111 100.00% General election Results General election resultsStatistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 2, 1976 https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1976election.pdf Clerk of the House of Representatives 21 Democratic Party (United States) Don Riegle 1,831,031 52.46% 14.38 Republican Party (United States) Marvin Esch 1,635,087 46.85% 13.96 Libertarian Party (United States) Bette Jane Erwin 8,842 0.25% N/A Human Rights Party (United States) Theodore G. Albert 7,281 0.21% N/A Socialist Workers Party (United States) Paula L. Reimers 3,399 0.10% 0.05 Socialist Labor Party of America Frank Girard 2,554 0.07% 0.06 U.S. Labor Party Peter A. Signorelli 2,218 0.06% N/A 3,490,412 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) 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 1976 United States Senate elections References Michigan 1976 United States Senate election