1976 Iowa Senate election

1976 Iowa Senate election

← 1974 November 2, 1976 1978 →

28 out of 50 seats in the Iowa State Senate
26 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader George Kinley Clifton C. Lamborn
Party Democratic Republican
Leader's seat 34th 12th
(retired)
Last election 26 24
Seats before 26 24
Seats after 26 24
Seat change Steady Steady

Majority Leader before election

George Kinley
Democratic

Elected Majority Leader

George Kinley
Democratic

The 1976 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1976 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in 28 of the state senate's districts—the 25 even-numbered state senate districts and special elections in districts 11, 15, and 41. State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate, with half of the seats up for election each cycle. A statewide map of the 50 state Senate districts in the year 1976 is provided by the Iowa General Assembly here.

The primary election on June 8, 1976 determined which candidates appeared on the November 2, 1976 general election ballot. Primary election results can be obtained here.[1] General election results can be obtained here.[2]

To take control of the chamber from Democrats, the Republicans needed to net 2 Senate seats.

Democrats maintained their control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1976 elections with the balance of power remaining unchanged with Democrats holding 26 seats and Republicans having 24 seats after the election.

Summary of Results

  • NOTE: Districts not having elections in 1976 are unlisted.
State Senate District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
2nd Irvin L. Bergman Rep Irvin L. Bergman Republican
4th Berl Priebe Dem Berl Priebe Democratic
6th Kenneth Daniel Scott Dem Alvin V. Miller Democratic
8th Hilarius Louis Heying Dem Rolf V. Craft Republican
10th Robert M. "Bob" Carr Dem Robert M. "Bob" Carr Democratic
11th[a] Richard John Norpel Dem Stephen W. Bisenius Republican
12th Clifton C. Lamborn Rep Merlin Hulse Republican
14th Cloyd E. Robinson Dem Cloyd E. Robinson Democratic
15th[b] Steve Sovern Dem Robert "Bob" Rush Democratic
16th James V. Gallagher Dem James V. Gallagher Democratic
18th Bill Hansen Rep Bill Hansen Republican
20th Elizabeth Ruby Miller Rep Elizabeth Ruby Miller Republican
22nd Jack Nystrom Rep Jack Nystrom Republican
24th William P. Winkelman Rep John R. Scott Democratic
26th Leonard C. Andersen Rep James Calhoon Democratic
28th Karl Nolin Dem Charles W. Hutchins Democratic
30th William N. Plymat Rep David Readinger Republican
32nd William D. Palmer Dem William D. Palmer Democratic
34th George Kinley Dem George Kinley Democratic
36th Joann Yessler Orr Dem Joann Yessler Orr Democratic
38th William R. Rabedeaux Rep Richard F. Drake Republican
40th Elizabeth Orr Shaw Rep Elizabeth Orr Shaw Republican
41st[c] Bill Gluba Dem Forrest F. Ashcraft Republican
42nd Charles Peter Miller Dem Charles Peter Miller Democratic
44th Forrest Schwengels Rep Forrest Schwengels Republican
46th Bass Van Gilst Dem Bass Van Gilst Democratic
48th James E. Briles Rep James E. Briles Republican
50th James W. Griffin Rep Tom L. Slater Democratic

Source:[3]

Detailed Results

  • Reminder: All even-numbered Iowa Senate seats were up for election in 1976, as well as three odd-numbered districts (11, 15, & 41). All other odd-numbered districts did not have elections.

District 2District 4District 6District 8District 10District 11District 12District 14District 15District 16District 18District 20District 22District 24District 26District 28District 30District 32District 34District 36District 38District 40District 41District 42District 44District 46District 48District 50

  • Note: If a district does not list a primary, then that district did not have a competitive primary (i.e., there may have only been one candidate file for that district).

District 2

Iowa Senate, District 2 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Irvin L. Bergman (incumbent) 14,409 100.0
Total votes 14,409 100.0
Republican hold

District 4

Iowa Senate, District 4 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Berl Priebe (incumbent) 17,077 100.0
Total votes 17,077 100.0
Democratic hold

District 6

Iowa Senate, District 6 Republican Primary Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bruce B. Girton 2,470 62.7
Republican Pat Breheny 1,472 37.3
Total votes 3,942 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 6 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alvin V. Miller 12,976 52.1
Republican Bruce B. Girton 11,936 47.9
Total votes 24,912 100.0
Democratic hold

District 8

Iowa Senate, District 8 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Rolf V. Craft 12,916 56.7
Democratic Richard R. Nelson 9,877 43.3
Total votes 22,793 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 10

Iowa Senate, District 10 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Carr (incumbent) 14,308 62.6
Republican Marian B. Pfaff 8,545 37.4
Total votes 22,853 100.0
Democratic hold

District 11

Iowa Senate, District 11 Special Election, December 28, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Bisenius 3,925 50.8
Democratic Maurice Hennessey 3,800 49.2
Total votes 7,725 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 12

Iowa Senate, District 12 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Merlin Hulse 12,503 54.3
Democratic Paul Ponder 10,528 45.7
Total votes 23,031 100.0
Republican hold

District 14

Iowa Senate, District 14 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cloyd E. Robinson (incumbent) 14,757 65.7
Republican Sandra L. Pink 7,366 32.7
Independent Garry W. McCune 350 1.6
Total votes 22,473 100.0
Democratic hold

District 15

Iowa Senate, District 15 Special Election, November 2, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Rush 13,777 59.8
Republican Andrew Gordon Holmes 9,254 40.2
Total votes 23,031 100.0
Democratic hold

District 16

Iowa Senate, District 16 Democratic Primary Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James Gallagher (incumbent) 1,786 80.7
Democratic Steven Karr 426 19.3
Total votes 2,212 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 16 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James Gallagher (incumbent) 13,631 60.0
Republican Kyle Hummel 9,074 40.0
Total votes 22,705 100.0
Democratic hold

District 18

Iowa Senate, District 18 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Willard R. "Bill" Hansen (incumbent) 13,265 52.0
Democratic Ted Anderson 12,081 47.3
Independent Gerald Baker 188 0.7
Total votes 25,534 100.0
Republican hold

District 20

Iowa Senate, District 20 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elizabeth Ruby Miller (incumbent) 12,317 50.5
Democratic Larry A. Raymon 12,085 49.5
Total votes 24,402 100.0
Republican hold

District 22

Iowa Senate, District 22 Democratic Primary Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim R. Riordan 1,242 59.9
Democratic D. Tom Peterson 677 32.7
Democratic Steven R. Oakland 154 7.4
Total votes 2,073 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 22 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John N. "Jack" Nystrom (incumbent) 13,636 54.7
Democratic Jim R. Riordan 11,314 45.3
Total votes 24,950 100.0
Republican hold

District 24

Iowa Senate, District 24 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Scott 12,886 53.9
Republican William P. Winkelman (incumbent) 11,040 46.1
Total votes 23,926 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 26

Iowa Senate, District 26 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James Calhoon 10,397 50.1
Republican Leonard C. Andersen (incumbent) 10,374 49.9
Total votes 20,771 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 28

Iowa Senate, District 28 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles W. "Bill" Hutchins 12,431 55.2
Republican William R. Ferguson 10,079 44.8
Total votes 22,510 100.0
Democratic hold

District 30

Iowa Senate, District 30 Republican Primary Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Readinger 2,017 58.1
Republican William N. Plymat (incumbent) 1,456 41.9
Total votes 3,473 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 30 Democratic Primary Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ed Campbell 1,828 52.4
Democratic Michael E. Hansen 1,661 47.6
Total votes 3,489 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 30 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Readinger 15,545 52.3
Democratic Ed Campbell 14,206 47.7
Total votes 29,751 100.0
Republican hold

District 32

Iowa Senate, District 32 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William D. Palmer (incumbent) 16,512 75.7
Republican William F. Horstman 5,310 24.3
Total votes 21,822 100.0
Democratic hold

District 34

Iowa Senate, District 34 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George Kinley (incumbent) 15,199 72.6
Republican Kappie Spencer 5,744 27.4
Total votes 20,943 100.0
Democratic hold

District 36

Iowa Senate, District 36 Republican Primary Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Judith Dierenfeld 1,048 50.4
Republican Chas. V. Dunham 1,031 49.6
Total votes 2,079 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 36 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joan Orr (incumbent) 14,454 61.9
Republican Judith Dierenfeld 8,890 38.1
Total votes 23,344 100.0
Democratic hold

District 38

Iowa Senate, District 38 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard F. Drake 12,481 55.5
Democratic Jim Paulding 9,996 44.5
Total votes 22,477 100.0
Republican hold

District 40

Iowa Senate, District 40 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elizabeth Orr Shaw (incumbent) 18,142 62.2
Democratic Steven F. Altheimer 11,047 37.8
Total votes 29,189 100.0
Republican hold

District 41

Iowa Senate, District 41 Special Election, December 28, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Forrest F. Ashcraft 3,028 61.6
Democratic Michael McDonald 1,886 38.4
Total votes 4,914 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 42

Iowa Senate, District 42 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles P. Miller (incumbent) 13,267 58.4
Republican Charles R. Fulbruge 9,436 41.6
Total votes 22,703 100.0
Democratic hold

District 44

Iowa Senate, District 44 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Forrest Schwengels (incumbent) 15,044 100.0
Total votes 15,044 100.0
Republican hold

District 46

Iowa Senate, District 46 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bass Van Gilst (incumbent) 15,257 66.3
Republican Lou Fusco 7,748 33.7
Total votes 23,005 100.0
Democratic hold

District 48

Iowa Senate, District 48 Republican Primary Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James E. Briles (incumbent) 4,771 68.6
Republican Margaret L. Hemphill 2,182 31.4
Total votes 6,953 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 48 Democratic Primary Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Forrest C. Teig 925 60.8
Democratic Joseph Sullivan 596 39.2
Total votes 1,521 100.0
Iowa Senate, District 48 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James E. Briles (incumbent) 14,372 59.6
Democratic Forrest C. Teig 9,739 40.4
Total votes 24,111 100.0
Republican hold

District 50

Iowa Senate, District 50 General Election, 1976
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Slater 9,962 54.8
Republican Jim Griffin (incumbent) 8,216 45.2
Total votes 18,178 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican
  1. ^ Special election on December 28, 1976.
  2. ^ Special election on November 2, 1976.
  3. ^ Special election on December 28, 1976.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Primary Election 1976 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  2. ^ "General Election 1976 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  3. ^ "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved April 25, 2020.