1976 United States Senate election in Florida

For related races, see 1976 United States Senate elections.

1976 United States Senate election in Florida

November 2, 1976

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

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.

Republican primary

3.7% of the voting age population participated in the Republican primary.

Candidates

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

Results

Republican Primary – September 7, 1976

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 (Independent)
• Lawton Chiles, incumbent U.S. Senator (Democratic)
• John Grady, Mayor of Belle Glade (Republican)
• Ed Ice (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

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

See also

• 1976 United States Senate elections

Works cited

• Steed, Robert; Moreland, Laurence; Baker, Tod, eds. (1980). Party Politics in the South. Praeger Publishers. ISBN 0030565863.