1976 United States House of Representatives elections explained

Election Name:	1976 United States House of Representatives elections
Country:	United States
Flag Year:	1960
Type:	legislative
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1974 United States House of Representatives elections
Previous Year:	1974
Election Date:	November 2, 1976
Next Election:	1978 United States House of Representatives elections
Next Year:	1978
Seats For Election:	All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives
Majority Seats:	218
Leader1:	Carl Albert (retired)
Leader Since1:	January 21, 1971
Party1:	Democratic Party (US)
Last Election1:	291 seats
Seats1:	292
Seat Change1:	1
Popular Vote1:	41,474,890
Percentage1:	55.9%
Swing1:	1.6%
Leader2:	John Rhodes
Leader Since2:	December 7, 1973
Party2:	Republican Party (US)
Last Election2:	144 seats
Seats2:	143
Seat Change2:	1
Popular Vote2:	31,380,535
Percentage2:	42.3%
Swing2:	1.6%
Map Size:	320px
Speaker
Before Election:	Carl Albert
Before Party:	Democratic Party (US)
After Election:	Tip O'Neil
After Party:	Democratic Party (US)

The 1976 United States House of Representatives elections were elections for the United States House of Representatives on November 2, 1976, to elect members to serve in the 95th United States Congress. They coincided with Jimmy Carter's election as president. Carter's narrow victory over Gerald Ford had limited coattails, and his Democratic Party gained a net of only one seat from the Republican Party in the House. The result was nevertheless disappointing to the Republicans, who were hoping to win back some of the seats they lost in the wake of the Watergate scandal two years earlier.

This election was the last time Democrats or any party had a two-thirds supermajority in the House. It is also the last congressional election in which Democrats won a House seat in Wyoming.

Overall results

↓
292	143
Democratic	Republican

Parties	Seats				Popular vote
1974	1976	+/-	Strength	Vote	%	Change
	Democratic Party		291		292		1		67.1%	41,474,890	55.9%	1.6%
	Republican Party	144	143	1	32.9%	31,380,535	42.3%		1.6%
	Independents					587,897	0.8%	0.1%
	American Party					117,738	0.2%	0.3%
	Conservative Party					97,679	0.1%	0.1%
	American Independent Party					81,864	0.1%	0.1%
	Libertarian Party					71,791	0.1%	0.1%
	Liberal Party					42,642	0.1%
	U.S. Labor Party					37,527	0.1%
	Peace and Freedom Party					34,738	<0.1%	0.1%
	Independents for Godly Government Party					27,268	<0.1%
	Silent Majority Party					14,543	<0.1%
	Constitution Party					9,713	<0.1%
	George Wallace Party					7,726	<0.1%
	Individual Americans Independence Party					3,979	<0.1%
	Peoples Independent Party					3,916	<0.1%
	Raza Unida Party					3,588	<0.1%
	Prohibition Party					3,141	<0.1%
	Communist Party					2,947	<0.1%
	Human Rights Party					2,700	<0.1%
	People's Party					2,408	<0.1%
	Bring Us Together Party					1,969	<0.1%
	Politicians Are Crooks Party					1,814	<0.1%
	Independent Taxpayers Watchdog Party					1,594	<0.1%
	Pro Life Party					1,483	<0.1%
	Regular Democracy Party					1,431	<0.1%
	White Power Party					1,338	<0.1%
	Mayflower Party					1,314	<0.1%
	Workers Party					1,253	<0.1%
	Consumer Action Party					1,150	<0.1%
	National Democratic Party					1,021	<0.1%
	Citizens for Haas Party					743	<0.1%
	Jobs, Equality, Peace Party					636	<0.1%
	Restoration Party					499	<0.1%
	Co-Equal Citizens Party					432	<0.1%
	Independent Conservative Party					287	<0.1%
	Individual Needs Center Party					228	<0.1%
	Revolutionary Party					214	<0.1%
	Others					231,924	0.3%	0.3%
Total		435	435	0	100.0%	74,259,164	100.0%	—

Source: Election Statistics – Office of the Clerk

Special elections

Stan Lundine (Democratic) 61.2%
John T. Calkins (Republican) 38.8%^[1]

|-! | Robert R. Casey| | Democratic| 1958| | Incumbent resigned January 22, 1976, to become commissioner to the United States Maritime Commission.
New member elected April 3, 1976.
Republican gain.
Winner subsequently lost re-election in November, see below.| nowrap |

Tom Coleman (Republican) 60.9%
Morgan Maxfield (Democratic) 39.1%^[2]

Alabama

Alaska

See main article: 1976 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska.

Arizona

Arkansas

California

See main article: 1976 United States House of Representatives elections in California.

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

See main article: 1976 United States House of Representatives election in Nevada.

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

See main article: 1976 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico.

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

See main article: 1976 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina.

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

See main article: 1976 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas.

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

|-! | Ken Hechler| | Democratic| 1958| | Incumbent retired to run for governor.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap | |}

Wisconsin

Wyoming

References

News: Reagan Says G.O.P. Needs New Name and New Support . . November 20, 1976 . 13.
News: Reagan Suggests GOP should R.I.P. . . November 19, 1976 . 16.

Notes and References

Web site: NY District 39 Special Race – Mar 02, 1976 . Our Campaigns . January 30, 2005 .
Web site: MO District 6 – Special Election Race – Nov 02, 1976 . Our Campaigns . November 18, 2009 .