Previously, Omdahl was a professor of political science at the University of North Dakota[2][3] and was the Democratic nominee for North Dakota's at-large congressional district in 1976. He won the Democratic primary with 46,382 votes (86.43%), defeating Torfin Teigen, who took 7,281 votes (13.57%).[4] In the general election, he lost to incumbent Republican Congressman Mark Andrews by 181,018 votes (62.45%) to 104,263 votes (35.97%). Russell Kleppe of the American Party took 4,600 votes (1.59%).[4]