The 1976 United States Senate election in New York was held on November 2, 1976. Republican incumbent James L. Buckley ran for re-election to a second term in office but was defeated by Democratic nominee Pat Moynihan, former White House aide and ambassador to the United Nations and India. As of , this is the last time an incumbent lost re-election to this seat.
Primary elections were held on September 14. In the sharply contested Democratic primary, Moynihan narrowly defeated Bella Abzug for the nomination. Buckley, who had been elected as a Conservative but quickly joined the Republican caucus in the Senate, easily defeated a challenge from Peter A. Peyser.
Republican primary Candidates James L. Buckley, incumbent U.S. senator since 1971 Peter A. Peyser, U.S. representative from Irvington
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates Bella Abzug, U.S. representative from the West Side of Manhattan Ramsey Clark, former United States Attorney General and nominee for Senate in 1974 Abraham Hirschfeld, real estate developer Pat Moynihan, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and India Paul O'Dwyer, former New York City Council president and nominee for Senate in 1968
Convention
Primary results
General election Candidates Herbert Aptheker, historian and activist (Communist) Elijah C. Boyd (U.S. Labor) James L. Buckley, incumbent U.S. senator since 1971 (Republican and Conservative) Marcia Gallo (Socialist Workers) Daniel Patrick Moynihan, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and to India (Democratic and Liberal) Martin E. Nixon (Libertarian)
Results
See also 1976 United States Senate elections
References
Further reading Andelic, Patrick. “Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the 1976 New York Senate Race, and the Struggle to Define American Liberalism.” Historical Journal 57#4 (2014), Pp. 1111–33. online.