1976 United States Senate election in Rhode Island

The 1976 United States Senate election in Rhode Island took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John O. Pastore did not seek re-election. Republican John Chafee won the seat, defeating Democrat Richard P. Lorber. Chafee was the first Republican to win a U.S. Senate race in Rhode Island since 1930.

Candidates

 * John E. Caddick
 * Paul E. Goulding
 * John P. Hawkins, Rhode Island Senate Majority Leader
 * Richard P. Lorber, car dealer and decorated World War II veteran
 * Arthur E. Marley
 * Philip W. Noel, Governor of Rhode Island
 * Earl F. Pasbach
 * Ralph J. Perrotta

Results
Incumbent Governor of Rhode Island Noel was favored in the primary but ultimately lost by 100 votes to the less known Lorber. This was partly due to the candidacy of Senate Majority leader John Hawkins, which split the establishment vote. Lorber was a political novice.

Candidates

 * John Chafee, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy, former Governor and nominee for the United States Senate in 1972.

Declined

 * Buddy Cianci, Mayor of Providence

Results
Republican Chafee defeated Lorber in a landslide with 58% of the vote, becoming the first Republican Senator from Rhode Island since 1930. Chafee would continue to be re-elected even as Rhode Island trended more Democratic into the 1990s, and he served until his death in 1999.