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Tribbitt: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Peterson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 1972 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Democratic nominee Sherman W. Tribbitt defeated incumbent Republican Governor Russell W. Peterson with 51.27% of the vote. This was the last time a Democrat won a gubernatorial election in Delaware until 1992, when Tom Carper (future U.S. Senator) won the gubernatorial election over Republican B. Gary Scott.
From 1972 to 1992 Delaware used a system of “challenge” primaries, in which a candidate for statewide office who received at least 35 percent of the convention vote could challenge the endorsed candidate in a primary. Democratic nominee Tribbitt avoided such a primary in 1972. [1] [2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Russell W. Peterson (incumbent) | 23,929 | 54.30 | |
Republican | David P. Buckson | 20,138 | 45.70 | |
Total votes | 44,077 | 100.00 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Sherman W. Tribbitt | 117,274 | 51.27% | ||
Republican | Russell W. Peterson (incumbent) | 109,583 | 47.91% | ||
American | Virginia M. Lyndall | 1,468 | 0.64% | ||
Prohibition | Harry H. Conner | 397 | 0.17% | ||
Majority | 7,691 | 3.36% | |||
Turnout | 228,722 | 100.00% | |||
Democratic gain from Republican | Swing |