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In 1972, Hansen was reelected to the Senate over Democrat Mike M. Vinich (1924–2015) of Hudson in Fremont County<ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155119922/mike-m.-vinich Mike M. Vinich (1924-2015) - Find A Grave Memorial], accessed July 24, 2021.</ref> 101,314 votes (71.3 percent) to 40,753 (28.7 percent).<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections'', U.S. Senator from Wyoming, 1972</ref> Senator Hansen was known for social and fiscal conservatism. He voted against sending to the states the proposed [[Equal Rights Amendment]], which would have codified federal power over the states. He opposed the [[Richard M. Nixon]] administration's deployment of the [[anti-ballistic missile]], a position which put him at odds with then [[United States Secretary of Defense|Defense Secretary]] [[Melvin R. Laird]] of [[Wisconsin]].<ref name="williams">Pete Williams, "Remembering Clifford Hansen," firstread.msnbc.msn.com, October 21, 2009; no longer online.</ref>

In 1972, Hansen was reelected to the Senate over Democrat Mike M. Vinich (1924–2015) of Hudson in Fremont County<ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155119922/mike-m.-vinich Mike M. Vinich (1924-2015) - Find A Grave Memorial], accessed July 24, 2021.</ref> 101,314 votes (71.3 percent) to 40,753 (28.7 percent).<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections'', U.S. Senator from Wyoming, 1972</ref> Senator Hansen was known for social and fiscal conservatism. He voted against sending to the states the proposed [[Equal Rights Amendment]], which would have codified federal power over the states. He opposed the [[Richard M. Nixon]] administration's deployment of the [[anti-ballistic missile]], a position which put him at odds with then [[United States Secretary of Defense|Defense Secretary]] [[Melvin R. Laird]] of [[Wisconsin]].<ref name="williams">Pete Williams, "Remembering Clifford Hansen," firstread.msnbc.msn.com, October 21, 2009; no longer online.</ref>

Hansen voted in 1967 to confirm the [[African-American]] [[liberal]] [[Thurgood Marshall], the plaintiff's attorney in the 1954 ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'' school desegregation case, to the [[United States Supreme Court]] and the next year voted for the open-housing Civil Rights Act of 1968.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/90-1967/s176|title=CONFIRMATION OF NOMINATION OF THURGOOD MARSHALL, THE FIRST NEGRO APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME COURT.|publisher=GovTrack.us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/90-1968/s346|title=TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN SALE OR RENTAL OF HOUSING, AND TO PROHIBIT RACIALLY MOTIVATED INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON EXERCISING HIS CIVIL RIGHTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES|publisher=GovTrack.us|accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref>

Hansen voted in 1967 to confirm the [[African-American]] [[liberal]] [[Thurgood Marshall]], the plaintiff's attorney in the 1954 ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'' school desegregation case, to the [[United States Supreme Court]] and the next year voted for the open-housing Civil Rights Act of 1968.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/90-1967/s176|title=CONFIRMATION OF NOMINATION OF THURGOOD MARSHALL, THE FIRST NEGRO APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME COURT.|publisher=GovTrack.us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/90-1968/s346|title=TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN SALE OR RENTAL OF HOUSING, AND TO PROHIBIT RACIALLY MOTIVATED INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON EXERCISING HIS CIVIL RIGHTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES|publisher=GovTrack.us|accessdate=July 23, 2021}}</ref>

In 1976, Hansen supported the renomination and reelection of President [[Gerald Ford|Gerald R. Ford Jr.]], who won Wyoming's three [[electoral votes]]. Hansen retired from the Senate in 1978, when he declined to run for a third term. He moved back to Jackson and served on the Senate Finance Committee under Democratic chairman [[Russell Long]], of [[Louisiana]], another of his senatorial friends who showed interest in the plight of western ranchers.

In 1976, Hansen supported the renomination and reelection of President [[Gerald Ford|Gerald R. Ford Jr.]], who won Wyoming's three [[electoral votes]]. Hansen retired from the Senate in 1978, when he declined to run for a third term. He moved back to Jackson and served on the Senate Finance Committee under Democratic chairman [[Russell Long]], of [[Louisiana]], another of his senatorial friends who showed interest in the plight of western ranchers.