The 1976 United States Senate election in Nebraska took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Republican senator Roman Hruska decided to retire instead of seeking another term. Omaha Mayor Edward Zorinsky, a Republican, switched to the Democratic Party and narrowly won the Democratic primary, and then defeated Congressman John Y. McCollister, the Republican nominee, in the general election. Zorinsky became the first Democrat to win a Senate election in Nebraska since 1934, and the first Jewish person elected to statewide office in the state.
Democratic primary Candidates Edward Zorinsky, Mayor of Omaha Hess Dyas, former Chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Party, 1974 Democratic nominee for Leonore Etchison, economics graduate student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Results
Republican primary Candidates John Y. McCollister, U.S. Representative from Richard Proud, former speaker of the Nebraska Legislature
Results
General election
See also 1976 United States Senate elections
References