1976 United States Senate election in Rhode Island
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1976 United States Senate election in Rhode Island
| country = Rhode Island
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1970 United States Senate election in Rhode Island
| previous_year = 1970
| next_election = 1982 United States Senate election in Rhode Island
| next_year = 1982
| election_date = November 2, 1976
| image1 = File:J.L. 3814 John H. Chafee, 1969 (cropped).jpg
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = John Chafee
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 230,329
| percentage1 = 57.74%
| image2 = File:Richard P. Lorber (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = Richard Lorber
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 167,665
| percentage2 = 42.03%
| map = {{switcher
|County results
|Municipality results}}
| map_caption = Chafee: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}
Lorber: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}}
| title = U.S. Senator
| before_election = John O. Pastore
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = John Chafee
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}{{ElectionsRI}}
The 1976 United States Senate election in Rhode Island took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John O. Pastore did not seek re-election. Republican John Chafee won the seat, defeating Democrat Richard P. Lorber. Chafee was the first Republican to win a U.S. Senate race in Rhode Island since 1930.
Democratic primary
= Candidates =
- John E. Caddick
- Paul E. Goulding
- John P. Hawkins, Rhode Island Senate Majority Leader
- Richard P. Lorber, car dealer and decorated World War II veteran{{Cite web|url=https://turnto10.com/news/videos/flashback-lorbers-long-shot-candidacy|title = Flashback: Lorber's long shot candidacy|date = 3 March 2017}}
- Arthur E. Marley
- Philip W. Noel, Governor of Rhode Island
- Earl F. Pasbach
- Ralph J. Perrotta
= Results =
Incumbent Governor of Rhode Island Noel was favored in the primary but ultimately lost by 100 votes to the less known Lorber. This was partly due to the candidacy of Senate Majority leader John Hawkins, which split the establishment vote. Lorber was a political novice.
{{Election box begin no change| title=Democratic primary results{{cite web|title=RI US Senate - D Primary|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=329490|publisher=OurCampaigns|access-date=16 March 2014}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Richard P. Lorber
| votes = 60,118
| percentage = 37.78
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Philip W. Noel
| votes = 60,018
| percentage = 37.71
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = John P. Hawkins
| votes = 25,456
| percentage = 16.00
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Paul E. Goulding
| votes = 5,500
| percentage = 3.46
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Ralph J. Perrotta
| votes = 4,481
| percentage = 2.82
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = John E. Caddick
| votes = 2,160
| percentage = 1.36
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Earl F. Pasbach
| votes = 962
| percentage = 0.60
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Arthur E. Marley
| votes = 447
| percentage = 0.28
}}
{{Election box majority no change
| votes = 100
| percentage = 0.06%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 159,142
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
Republican primary
= Candidates =
- John Chafee, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy, former Governor and nominee for the United States Senate in 1972.
== Declined==
- Buddy Cianci, Mayor of Providence
General election
=Results=
Republican Chafee defeated Lorber in a landslide with 58% of the vote, becoming the first Republican Senator from Rhode Island since 1930. Chafee would continue to be re-elected even as Rhode Island trended more Democratic into the 1990s, and he served until his death in 1999.
{{Election box begin no change| title=General election results{{cite web|title=RI US Senate|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=6303|publisher=OurCampaigns|access-date=16 March 2014}}{{cite web|title=Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 2, 1976|url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1976election.pdf|publisher=Office of the U.S. House Clerk|access-date=16 March 2014}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = John Chafee
| votes = 230,329
| percentage = 57.74
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Richard P. Lorber
| votes = 167,665
| percentage = 42.03
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Communist Party USA
| candidate = Margaret Cann
| votes = 912
| percentage = 0.23
}}
{{Election box majority no change
| votes = 62,664
| percentage = 15.71%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 398,906
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
| loser = Democratic Party (United States)
| swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}