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{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1976 United States Senate election in New Jersey
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| percentage2 = 38.05%
| map_image = 1976 United States Senate election in New Jersey results map by county.svg
| map_size =
| map_caption = County results<br/>'''Williams''': {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
| title = U.S. Senator
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==Republican primary==
===Candidates===
*[[David A. Norcross]], former
*James E. Parker, retired sheets metal mechanic and Democratic candidate for U.S. House in 1958 and 1960<ref name=primary/>
*N. Leonard Smith, high school teacher, former member of the [[Clementon, New Jersey|Clementon]] town council, and anti-abortion activist<ref name=primary/>
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Norcross held the endorsement of the state party organization, though Martin Wendelken had the support of the Bergen County organization and led a slate of candidates supporting [[Ronald Reagan 1976 presidential campaign|Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign]]. Wendelken ran a campaign calling for a reduction in the size and scope of government, saying the key issues were unemployment and inflation.<ref name=primary/>
James Parker ran a campaign calling for reduced utility rates. He said that he had switched parties in
===Results===
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==General election==
===Candidates===
*Bernardo S. Doganiero, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor)
*[[David A. Norcross]], former
▲*Hannibal Cundari, Libertarian
*Harrison A. Williams, incumbent Senator since 1959 (Democratic)▼
▲*Leif O. Johnson, Labor
▲*Harrison A. Williams, Democratic
===Campaign===
Despite the state's [[1976 United States presidential election|Republican lean]] in the presidential race, Williams was the heavy favorite for re-election due to his personal popularity. On a campaign stop in late October, [[Walter Mondale]] called Williams “the most popular Senator in Washington.”<ref name=nyt10.27>{{cite news|title=Norcross Has a Hard Job Against Williams|last=Sullivan|first=Joseph F.|work=The New York Times |date=27 Oct 1976|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/10/27/archives/norcross-has-a-hard-job-against-williams.html|access-date=4 Aug 2022}}</ref>
Norcorss ran on a moderate platform, calling for adjustments to [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] to ensure “more preventive care and less need for institutionalization” and expanded access to [[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]] benefits for high earners. He attempted to appeal to urban voters by calling for tax deductions for mass transit and an expanded loss deduction for small business owners who were victims of crime.<ref name=nyt10.27/>
Norcross attempted to use his expert knowledge of campaign finance to attack Williams as a "special interest" legislator engaged in an “odd‐couple relationship by wooing both organized labor and banking and securities interests.” Norcross singled out fundraising dinners at which Williams accepted donations from representatives of banks and securities firms which appeared before the Senate Subcommittee on Securities, which Williams chaired. "The subcommittee was considering important legislation affecting the securities industry, and the House legislation was considerably watered down when it came up for a Senate vote," Norcross said. "This is not just a campaign‐funding issue; it goes to the integrity of the legislature."<ref name=nyt10.27/>
However, Norcross never gained traction with the electorate; he failed to raise enough money for radio or television advertising. Even several weeks into the campaign, polls showed that few voters knew his name.<ref name=nyt10.27/> When President [[Gerald Ford]] visited the [[Paramus, New Jersey|Paramus]] to campaign, he chose to have U.S. Senator [[Clifford Case]] on stage rather than Norcross.<ref name=nyt10.27/>
===Results===
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| votes = 1,681,140
| percentage = 60.66%
| change = {{increase}} 6.64
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
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| votes = 1,054,508
| percentage = 38.05%
| change = {{decrease}} 4.11
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
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| votes = 19,907
| percentage = 0.72%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
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| votes = 9,185
| percentage = 0.33%
| change = {{increase}} 0.14
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
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| votes = 6,650
| percentage = 0.24%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box majority|
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}}
{{Election box end}}
==Aftermath==
Although Norcross's attacks on Williams did not stick during the campaign, the Senator was convicted for bribery as part of the 1981 [[Abscam]] scandal before his term ended. He resigned from office before a scheduled vote to expel him from the Senate for "ethically repugnant" conduct.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Martin|first1=Douglas|title=Ex-Senator Harrison A. Williams Jr., 81, Dies; Went to Prison Over Abscam Scandal|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/20/nyregion/ex-senator-harrison-a-williams-jr-81-dies-went-to-prison-over-abscam-scandal.html|access-date=4 Aug 2022|work=New York Times|date=20 Nov 2001}}</ref>
==See also==
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{{Reflist}}
{{United States elections, 1976}}
[[Category:United States Senate elections in New Jersey|1976]]
[[Category:1976 United States Senate elections|New Jersey]]
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