1976 United States Senate election in Wyoming

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

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.


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