1976 United States Senate election in Florida

The 1976 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles won re-election to a second term.

1976 United States Senate election in Florida

← 1970 November 2, 1976 1982 →

Nominee Lawton Chiles John Grady Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,799,518 1,057,886 Percentage 62.98% 37.02%

County results Chiles:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Grady:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Lawton Chiles Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles Democratic

Republican primary

3.7% of the voting age population participated in the Republican primary.^[1]

Candidates

• John Grady, Mayor of Belle Glade, family physician, and the American Independent Party's nominee for U.S. Senate in 1974^[2]
• Walter Sims, State Senator^[3][4]
• Helen S. Hanel, lawyer.^[5]

Results

Republican Primary – September 7, 1976^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John Grady	164,644	54.51%
	Republican	Walter Sims	74,684	24.73%
	Republican	Helen S. Hansel	62,718	20.76%
Total votes			414,207	100

General election

Candidates

• Timothy L. "Tim" Adams^[7] (Independent)
• Lawton Chiles, incumbent U.S. Senator (Democratic)
• John Grady, Mayor of Belle Glade (Republican)
• Ed Ice^[8] (Independent)

Results

Chiles won in a landslide, dominating most geographic areas of the state. Grady won only Collier County.

United States Senate Election in Florida, 1976^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Lawton Chiles (incumbent)	1,799,518	62.98%
	Republican	John Grady	1,057,886	37.02%
	Write-in		130	0.00%
Majority			741,632	25.96%
Turnout			2,857,534	77%
	Democratic hold

See also

• 1976 United States Senate elections