The 1976 United States Senate election in Missouri took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Stuart Symington decided to retire, instead of seeking a fifth term. Republican John Danforth won the open seat, defeating Democrat Warren Hearnes. (Jerry Litton had won the Democratic nomination earlier, but died in a plane crash on the night of the primary election, and Hearnes was chosen by the party committee.)