The 1976 United States presidential election in Wisconsin took place on November 2, 1976, as part of the 1976 United States presidential election. Jimmy Carter won the state of Wisconsin with 49.50 percent of the vote giving him 11 electoral votes.
In September, President Ford announced he would devote $20,000 to campaigning in Wisconsin. The state was one of ten he considered critical to defeating Carter, but Ford devoted less money to it than any of the others. During his campaign, Ford focused chiefly on the Catholic working-class electorate in South Milwaukee, whose hierarchy had been disappointed Carter was not committed – following Roe v. Wade – to a constitutional amendment banning abortion.
Carter himself responded by visiting white ethnic communities in the state during September. His campaign amongst the Polish-Americans and Greek-Americans in the southeast of the state was strongly aimed at Ford's policy towards the totalitarian regimes of Eastern Europe and their human rights violations.
In early October, polls showed Wisconsin as a tossup. Aided by a return of traditionally Democratic Catholic voters and a gain amongst nonpartisans, Carter established a lead in mid-October polls. The Georgia Governor would retain this lead to election day, and carry Wisconsin by 1.68 points. This result nonetheless made Wisconsin 0.43% more Republican than the nation at large. Wisconsin was the tipping-point state of the election.
Ronald Reagan would flip Wisconsin back into the Republican column in 1980 and 1984, but Carter's victory was a sign of things to come for the state, as it would transition into a Democratic-leaning swing state in 1988, and would vote Republican only twice since then.
Primaries Democratic primaries Despite the fact that at the time of this election Wisconsin had been dominated for a decade by very liberal Democrats like Senators Gaylord Nelson and William Proxmire, and had been the fifth-best state for George McGovern in his landslide 1972 presidential defeat, Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter won the state on a "nonideological" campaign in the April primaries, despite claiming that price floors for dairy farmers in the nation's leading dairy state would need to be lowered. Jimmy Carter – 36.63% Mo Udall – 35.62% George Wallace – 12.49% Scoop Jackson – 6.43%
Republican primaries Gerald Ford won the GOP primary against the insurgent conservative challenge of Ronald Reagan, saying that his win was largely due to the endorsement of Henry Kissinger. Gerald Ford (incumbent) – 55.23% Ronald Reagan – 44.29%
Results 1976 United States presidential election in WisconsinPartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Democratic Jimmy Carter 1,040,232 49.50% 11 Republican Gerald Ford (incumbent) 1,004,987 47.83% 0 Independent Eugene McCarthy 34,943 1.66% 0 American Lester Maddox 8,552 0.41% 0 Independent Frank Zeidler 4,298 0.20% 0 Independent Roger L. MacBride 3,814 0.18% 0 Independent Peter Camejo 1,691 0.08% 0 Independent Margaret Wright 943 0.04% 0 Independent Gus Hall 749 0.04% 0 Independent Lyndon H. LaRouche 738 0.04% 0 Independent Julius Levin 389 0.02% 0 Totals 2,101,336 100.0% 11
Results by county County Jimmy CarterDemocratic Gerald FordRepublican Eugene McCarthyIndependent Lester MaddoxAmerican Other candidatesVarious parties Margin Total votescast # % # % # % # % # % # % Adams 3,089 55.28% 2,377 42.54% 77 1.38% 22 0.39% 23 0.41% 712 12.74% 5,588 Ashland 4,688 58.89% 3,045 38.25% 131 1.65% 43 0.54% 54 0.68% 1,643 20.64% 7,961 Barron 8,678 52.97% 7,393 45.13% 205 1.25% 62 0.38% 44 0.27% 1,285 7.84% 16,382 Bayfield 3,885 58.05% 2,624 39.21% 136 2.03% 18 0.27% 30 0.45% 1,261 18.84% 6,693 Brown 33,572 46.47% 36,571 50.62% 1,480 2.05% 344 0.48% 276 0.38% -2,999 -4.15% 72,243 Buffalo 3,448 53.65% 2,844 44.25% 83 1.29% 33 0.51% 19 0.30% 604 9.40% 6,427 Burnett 3,720 57.74% 2,573 39.93% 89 1.38% 31 0.48% 30 0.47% 1,147 17.81% 6,443 Calumet 6,241 47.53% 6,589 50.18% 221 1.68% 42 0.32% 39 0.30% -348 -2.65% 13,132 Chippewa 11,538 57.42% 8,137 40.50% 270 1.34% 93 0.46% 55 0.27% 3,401 16.92% 20,093 Clark 7,238 52.67% 6,095 44.35% 204 1.48% 172 1.25% 33 0.24% 1,143 8.32% 13,742 Columbia 9,457 47.52% 10,075 50.63% 235 1.18% 67 0.34% 66 0.33% -618 -3.11% 19,900 Crawford 3,629 50.39% 3,393 47.11% 128 1.78% 32 0.44% 20 0.28% 236 3.28% 7,202 Dane 82,321 53.96% 63,466 41.60% 4,629 3.03% 369 0.24% 1,767 1.16% 18,855 12.36% 152,552 Dodge 13,643 43.12% 17,335 54.79% 464 1.47% 104 0.33% 95 0.30% -3,692 -11.67% 31,641 Door 4,553 39.88% 6,557 57.43% 198 1.73% 46 0.40% 63 0.55% -2,004 -17.55% 11,417 Douglas 13,478 64.32% 6,999 33.40% 326 1.56% 24 0.11% 129 0.62% 6,479 30.92% 20,956 Dunn 7,882 52.53% 6,751 44.99% 234 1.56% 95 0.63% 42 0.28% 1,131 7.54% 15,004 Eau Claire 18,263 51.66% 16,388 46.36% 491 1.39% 73 0.21% 138 0.39% 1,875 5.30% 35,353 Florence 965 50.23% 922 48.00% 28 1.46% 2 0.10% 4 0.21% 43 2.23% 1,921 Fond du Lac 16,571 41.59% 22,226 55.79% 676 1.70% 224 0.56% 144 0.36% -5,655 -14.20% 39,841 Forest 2,574 60.72% 1,604 37.84% 43 1.01% 12 0.28% 6 0.14% 970 22.88% 4,239 Grant 9,639 43.41% 12,016 54.11% 416 1.87% 57 0.26% 79 0.36% -2,377 -10.70% 22,207 Green 5,632 43.17% 7,085 54.31% 169 1.30% 112 0.86% 48 0.37% -1,453 -11.14% 13,046 Green Lake 3,411 39.69% 5,020 58.41% 111 1.29% 33 0.38% 20 0.23% -1,609 -18.72% 8,595 Iowa 4,252 49.00% 4,195 48.34% 139 1.60% 62 0.71% 30 0.35% 57 0.66% 8,678 Iron 2,399 63.13% 1,340 35.26% 43 1.13% 4 0.11% 14 0.37% 1,059 27.87% 3,800 Jackson 3,735 51.42% 3,406 46.89% 73 1.00% 22 0.30% 28 0.39% 329 4.53% 7,264 Jefferson 12,577 43.65% 15,528 53.89% 454 1.58% 131 0.45% 122 0.42% -2,951 -10.24% 28,812 Juneau 4,512 49.71% 4,242 46.73% 96 1.06% 201 2.21% 26 0.29% 270 2.98% 9,077 Kenosha 27,585 53.82% 22,349 43.61% 832 1.62% 248 0.48% 236 0.46% 5,236 10.21% 51,250 Kewaunee 4,607 49.65% 4,447 47.93% 135 1.45% 64 0.69% 26 0.28% 160 1.72% 9,279 La Crosse 16,674 40.02% 24,188 58.06% 564 1.35% 101 0.24% 132 0.32% -7,514 -18.04% 41,659 Lafayette 3,839 46.91% 4,131 50.48% 121 1.48% 62 0.76% 30 0.37% -292 -3.57% 8,183 Langlade 4,134 46.29% 4,630 51.85% 122 1.37% 25 0.28% 19 0.21% -496 -5.56% 8,930 Lincoln 5,800 49.48% 5,672 48.38% 176 1.50% 42 0.36% 33 0.28% 128 1.10% 11,723 Manitowoc 19,819 53.90% 16,039 43.62% 504 1.37% 293 0.80% 116 0.32% 3,780 10.28% 36,771 Marathon 24,934 51.94% 21,898 45.62% 811 1.69% 218 0.45% 140 0.29% 3,036 6.32% 48,001 Marinette 8,482 48.68% 8,591 49.30% 236 1.35% 70 0.40% 46 0.26% -109 -0.62% 17,425 Marquette 2,516 48.30% 2,607 50.05% 50 0.96% 19 0.36% 17 0.33% -91 -1.75% 5,209 Menominee 766 68.27% 324 28.88% 24 2.14% 1 0.09% 7 0.62% 442 39.39% 1,122 Milwaukee 249,739 54.75% 192,008 42.09% 7,508 1.65% 1,760 0.39% 5,145 1.13% 57,731 12.66% 456,160 Monroe 6,465 46.28% 7,242 51.85% 177 1.27% 38 0.27% 46 0.33% -777 -5.57% 13,968 Oconto 6,541 50.21% 6,232 47.84% 140 1.07% 75 0.58% 39 0.30% 309 2.37% 13,027 Oneida 7,216 48.31% 7,347 49.19% 285 1.91% 40 0.27% 48 0.32% -131 -0.88% 14,936 Outagamie 23,079 43.95% 28,363 54.02% 770 1.47% 155 0.30% 140 0.27% -5,284 -10.07% 52,507 Ozaukee 11,271 35.36% 19,817 62.17% 488 1.53% 133 0.42% 168 0.53% -8,546 -26.81% 31,877 Pepin 1,955 58.64% 1,312 39.35% 44 1.32% 19 0.57% 4 0.12% 643 19.29% 3,334 Pierce 8,039 57.16% 5,676 40.36% 267 1.90% 41 0.29% 41 0.29% 2,363 16.80% 14,064 Polk 8,485 56.85% 6,159 41.27% 222 1.49% 23 0.15% 35 0.23% 2,326 15.58% 14,924 Portage 15,912 60.65% 9,520 36.28% 607 2.31% 43 0.16% 155 0.59% 6,392 24.37% 26,237 Price 4,028 54.44% 3,204 43.30% 103 1.39% 20 0.27% 44 0.59% 824 11.14% 7,399 Racine 36,740 48.54% 37,088 49.00% 1,222 1.61% 328 0.43% 308 0.41% -348 -0.46% 75,686 Richland 3,634 44.05% 4,466 54.14% 96 1.16% 32 0.39% 21 0.25% -832 -10.09% 8,249 Rock 28,048 48.56% 28,325 49.04% 933 1.62% 246 0.43% 210 0.36% -277 -0.48% 57,762 Rusk 4,050 58.21% 2,724 39.15% 110 1.58% 32 0.46% 41 0.59% 1,326 19.06% 6,957 Sauk 9,204 47.88% 9,577 49.82% 305 1.59% 92 0.48% 45 0.23% -373 -1.94% 19,223 Sawyer 3,055 50.04% 2,720 44.55% 261 4.28% 18 0.29% 51 0.84% 335 5.49% 6,105 Shawano 6,751 43.63% 8,505 54.97% 91 0.59% 100 0.65% 25 0.16% -1,754 -11.34% 15,472 Sheboygan 24,226 51.65% 22,332 47.62% 168 0.36% 110 0.23% 65 0.14% 1,894 4.03% 46,901 St. Croix 10,601 55.74% 7,685 40.41% 557 2.93% 37 0.19% 137 0.72% 2,916 15.33% 19,017 Taylor 4,101 51.90% 3,591 45.45% 136 1.72% 39 0.49% 34 0.43% 510 6.45% 7,901 Trempealeau 6,218 53.05% 5,341 45.56% 117 1.00% 25 0.21% 21 0.18% 877 7.49% 11,722 Vernon 5,534 46.54% 6,132 51.56% 156 1.31% 60 0.50% 10 0.08% -598 -5.02% 11,892 Vilas 3,209 38.61% 4,929 59.30% 108 1.30% 36 0.43% 30 0.36% -1,720 -20.69% 8,312 Walworth 12,418 39.67% 18,091 57.79% 540 1.72% 125 0.40% 133 0.42% -5,673 -18.12% 31,307 Washburn 3,503 54.30% 2,787 43.20% 114 1.77% 28 0.43% 19 0.29% 716 11.10% 6,451 Washington 14,422 42.33% 18,798 55.17% 509 1.49% 168 0.49% 173 0.51% -4,376 -12.84% 34,070 Waukesha 47,487 39.26% 70,418 58.22% 1,815 1.50% 528 0.44% 705 0.58% -22,931 -18.96% 120,953 Waupaca 6,857 38.00% 10,849 60.13% 202 1.12% 68 0.38% 67 0.37% -3,992 -22.13% 18,043 Waushara 3,485 43.04% 4,449 54.94% 96 1.19% 30 0.37% 38 0.47% -964 -11.90% 8,098 Winnebago 24,485 42.16% 32,149 55.35% 954 1.64% 221 0.38% 273 0.47% -7,664 -13.19% 58,082 Wood 14,728 47.58% 15,479 50.00% 438 1.41% 209 0.68% 103 0.33% -751 -2.42% 30,957Totals1,040,23249.50%1,004,98747.83%34,9431.66%8,5520.41%12,6220.60%35,2451.67%2,101,336
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Adams Barron Bayfield Buffalo Chippewa Clark Crawford Florence Iron Jackson Kenosha Lincoln Manitowoc Marathon Juneau Kewaunee Oconto Pepin Price Rusk Sawyer Sheboygan Taylor Trempealeau Washburn Burnett Dunn Eau Claire Forest Iowa Pierce Polk St. Croix
By congressional district Carter won 5 of the state's 9 congressional districts, with the remaining 4 going to Ford, who won 2 districts that elected Democrats. District Carter Ford Representative 49.7% 50.3%Les Aspin 52.6% 47.4%Robert Kastenmeier 50.5% 49.5%Al Baldus 55% 45%Clement Zablocki 63% 37%Henry S. Reuss 48% 52%William A. Steiger 55.9% 44.1%Dave Obey 46.4% 53.6%Robert John Cornell 39.9% 60.1%Bob Kasten
See also United States presidential elections in Wisconsin
References