1976 Election Cycle

The 1976 cycle was the first following the Minnesota Republican Party changing its name to the Independent-Republican Party in November 1975. With native son U.S. Senator Walter Mondale as his running mate, Jimmy Carter carried Minnesota by a dozen points over President Gerald Ford in the beginning of what would eventually become a record run of victories outside of the South for Democratic presidential nominees.

DFLer Hubert Humphrey won a fifth nonconsecutive term by 42 points – the most lopsided U.S. Senate election in Minnesota history. Humphrey passed away in January 1978 and widow Muriel Humphrey was appointed to the seat.

Each party retained its respective U.S. House seats – five for the DFL, three for the Independent-Republicans.

The DFL emerged from the 1976 election holding 48 of 66 seats in the state Senate and 104 of 134 in the state House.

Chief Justice Robert Sheran and Associate Justice Walter Rogoscheske each won reelection to the Supreme Court without opposition.

Elections

Date Office Stage Winners Details
11/02/1976 State House, District 18B General Robert O. (Bob) McEachern (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 11,226 votes (63.65%) and a winning margin of +27.30
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Robert O. (Bob) McEachern Incumbent Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 11,226 63.65
Bruce B. Stolte Man Independent-Republican 6,411 36.35
11/02/1976 State House, District 19A General John T. Clawson (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 11,709 votes (64.06%) and a winning margin of +28.13
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
John T. Clawson Incumbent Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 11,709 64.06
Thomas (T. Roger) Newton Man Independent-Republican 6,568 35.94
11/02/1976 State House, District 19B General Thomas J. (Tom) Mangan (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 8,392 votes (51.11%) and a winning margin of +2.23
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Thomas J. (Tom) Mangan Incumbent Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 8,392 51.11
Mike Jensen Man Independent-Republican 8,026 48.89
11/02/1976 State House, District 20A General Ellsworth G. Smogard (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 8,112 votes (53.87%) and a winning margin of +7.74
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Ellsworth G. Smogard Incumbent Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 8,112 53.87
Ray Welker Man Independent-Republican 6,946 46.13
11/02/1976 State House, District 18A General Dick Welch (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 7,337 votes (49.31%) and a winning margin of +7.88
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Dick Welch Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 7,337 49.31
Mike Ives Man Independent-Republican 6,165 41.44
Loretta Freihammer Woman American 1,376 9.25

Frelhammer was nominated by petition.

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