Election Name: | 1976 United States Senate election in Montana |
Country: | Montana |
Flag Year: | 1905 |
Type: | presidential |
Ongoing: | no |
Previous Election: | 1970 United States Senate election in Montana |
Previous Year: | 1970 |
Next Election: | 1982 United States Senate election in Montana |
Next Year: | 1982 |
Election Date: | November 2, 1976 |
Image1: | File:Rep John Melcher.jpg |
Nominee1: | John Melcher |
Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Popular Vote1: | 206,232 |
Percentage1: | 64.16% |
Nominee2: | Stanley Burger |
Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
Popular Vote2: | 115,213 |
Percentage2: | 35.84% |
Map Size: | 300px |
U.S. Senator | |
Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1976 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 2, 1976. Rather than seek a fifth term, incumbent United States Senator Mike Mansfield, a Democrat, opted to retire, creating an open seat. United States Congressman John Melcher, who had represented Montana's 2nd congressional district from 1969 to 1977, won the Democratic nomination and defeated Stanley C. Burger, the Republican nominee, by a wide margin in the general election. This was the first open seat election in Montana since 1960 and the first open seat election in Montana for the Class 1 Senate seat since 1922.