Incumbent Republican Senator William L. Scott did not run for re-election to a second term.

Republican former Secretary of the Navy John Warner narrowly defeated Democratic Attorney General of Virginia Andrew P. Miller to succeed him.

Obenshain's victory set up the general election as a rematch of the 1969 Attorney General race between him and Andrew P. Miller, the Democratic nominee who defeated Obenshain in 1969.

On August 2, Obenshain died in a twin-engine plane crash, effectively shaking up this election.

He was then replaced by Warner after other recruits turned down the chance to be nominated in respect for Obenshain.