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McGovern Humphrey Wallace Muskie Jackson Mills Chisholm Uncommitted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From January 24 to June 20, 1972, voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for president in the 1972 United States presidential election. Senator George McGovern of South Dakota was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections, caucuses, and state party conventions, culminating in the 1972 Democratic National Convention held from July 10 to July 13, 1972, in Miami, Florida.
The 1968 election was one of the most eventful and influential in the history of the Democratic Party. The primaries were contested by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Senator Eugene McCarthy, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. In a shock, McCarthy forced the incumbent president out of the race early by his strong showing in the New Hampshire primary. Kennedy joined the race soon thereafter, and the two ran on their opposition to Johnson's handling of the Vietnam War. They traded primary victories until Kennedy was assassinated in June.
Although Kennedy and McCarthy contested the popular elections, most of the delegates in 1968 were not popularly elected. Thus, with Kennedy dead and McCarthy lacking support from the party establishment, Johnson's vice president Hubert H. Humphrey was easily nominated on the first ballot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Humphrey's nomination, the continuing Vietnam War, and the generally closed nature of the nomination process drew massive protests to Chicago; the convention was generally seen as a major embarrassment for the Party, and Humphrey went on to lose the election by a lot to Richard Nixon.
In response to the 1968 debacle, party leadership established a twenty-eight member committee selected by Senator Fred R. Harris to reform the presidential nomination process for 1972. The committee was led by Senator George McGovern and Representative Donald M. Fraser. After less than nine months, the committee delivered its guidelines.
The committee focused on two main principles: uniformity and equity. Guidelines required states adopt uniform, explicit delegate selection rules and weight the delegate allocation in favor of politically marginalized groups (women, blacks and those under the age of 30), including the use of quotas.
In general, the state parties complied with the McGovern-Fraser guidelines by adopting the use of primary elections, rather than delegate selection caucuses or conventions. Thus, the 1972 Democratic nomination is typically considered the first modern presidential primary campaign.[ citation needed ][ according to whom? ] Harris and McGovern, having played a direct role in the reforms and having a detailed knowledge of their impact, were seen to gain an advantage as potential candidates for the nomination.
As 1972 approached, President Richard Nixon faced uncertain re-election prospects. Nixon had been elected on a platform to end American involvement in Vietnam, but his strategy of gradual "Vietnamization" had proceeded more slowly than planned. The Paris Peace Talks had bogged down, dimming hopes for a negotiated settlement to the war. In fact, Nixon had widened the conflict by invading Cambodia in 1970, a move that ignited criticism in the press and Congress and widespread disorder on college campuses, including the Kent State shootings in May 1970.
On the domestic front, a sharp recession had shaken investor confidence, and Nixon's plan to control inflation with wage and price controls had failed to meet its objective. The administration's attempt to steer a middle course on desegregation busing and affirmative action had displeased liberals and conservatives alike.
In the 1970 midterm elections, Democrats gained a dozen seats in the House, although their Senate majority was reduced by three seats. Their main success was not in Congress, however, but the states. Eleven different Democratic governors were elected to seats held by Republicans and not a single incumbent Democrat lost re-election.
Given Nixon's apparent weakness and the novel use of the primary system, a large field of credible Democratic challengers emerged. 14 Democrats sought their party's nomination [a] the largest field of candidates until it was surpassed by 16 candidates in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries [1] and then 29 candidates in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries. [2]
Early speculation surrounded Senator Ted Kennedy, the brother of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy who had contested the 1968 nomination. He ruled himself out early in 1971, but nevertheless continued to lead in opinion polling. In the event of a brokered convention, some believed Kennedy could emerge as the consensus nominee. Kennedy supporters took key positions on a number of presidential campaigns, strengthening his odds of gaining the candidates' support in the event they could not secure the required delegates. [3]
With Kennedy out, the establishment favorite for the Democratic nomination was Edmund Muskie, [4] a moderate Senator who had acquitted himself well as Humphrey's running mate in 1968. In August 1971 polling amid a growing economic crisis, Muskie led Nixon. [4]
U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm from Queens, New York, announced her candidacy in January 1972, [5] making her the first black candidate to contest a major party's nomination for president. [5] [b] Chisholm was also the first woman to run for the Democratic presidential nomination; she was later joined by Patsy Mink of Hawaii. [c]
The following politicians stood as candidates for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination:
Candidate | Most recent office | Home state | Campaign Withdrawal date | Popular vote | Contests won | Running mate | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George McGovern | U.S. Senator from South Dakota (1963–1981) | South Dakota | (Campaign) Secured nomination:July 13, 1972 | 4,053,451 (25.3%) | 14 | Sargent Shriver (replacing Thomas Eagleton) | [6] [7] [8] |
These candidates participated in multiple state primaries or were included in multiple major national polls.
Candidate | Most recent office | Home state | Campaign Withdrawal date | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hubert Humphrey | U.S. Senator from Minnesota (1949–1964; 1971–1978) Vice President of the United States (1965–1969) | Minnesota | (Campaign) Declared: January 10, 1972 | [6] [7] [9] | ||
George Wallace | Governor of Alabama (1963–1967; 1971–1979; 1983–1987) | Alabama | (Campaign) Declared: January 13, 1972 | [6] [7] [10] | ||
Edmund Muskie | U.S. Senator from Maine (1959–1980) | Maine | (Campaign) Declared: January 4, 1972 Suspended campaign: April 27, 1972 | [6] [7] [11] [12] | ||
Scoop Jackson | U.S. Senator from Washington (1953–1983) | Washington | (Campaign) Declared: November 19, 1971 Suspended campaign: May 2, 1972 | [6] [7] [13] [14] | ||
Wilbur Mills | U.S. Representative from Arkansas (1939–1977) | Arkansas | (Campaign) Declared: February 11, 1972 | [6] [7] [15] | ||
Shirley Chisholm | U.S. Representative from New York (1969–1983) | New York | (Campaign) Declared: January 25, 1972 | [6] [7] [16] | ||
Terry Sanford | Governor of North Carolina (1961–1965) | North Carolina | (Campaign) Declared: March 8, 1972 | [6] [7] [17] | ||
John Lindsay | Mayor of New York City (1966–1973) | New York | (Campaign) Declared: December 28, 1971 Withdrew: April 4, 1972 | [6] [7] [18] [19] | ||
Eugene McCarthy | U.S. Senator from Minnesota (1959–1971) | Minnesota | (Campaign) Declared: December 17, 1971 | [6] [7] [20] | ||
Sam Yorty | Mayor of Los Angeles (1961–1973) | California | (Campaign) Declared: November 16, 1971 Withdrew: June 5, 1972 (endorsed Humphrey) | [6] [7] [21] [22] | ||
Vance Hartke | U.S. Senator from Indiana (1964–1973) | Indiana | (Campaign) Declared: January 3, 1972 Withdrew: March 26, 1972 (endorsed Humphrey) | [6] [7] [23] | ||
Patsy Mink | U.S. Representative from Hawaii (1965–1977) | Hawaii | (Campaign) Declared: October 19, 1971 Withdrew: May 24, 1972 | [6] [7] [24] [25] | ||
Fred Harris | U.S. Senator from Oklahoma (1964–1973) | Oklahoma | (Campaign) Declared: September 24, 1971 Withdrew: November 10, 1971 (endorsed McGovern on April 27) | [6] [7] [26] [27] [28] |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Poll source | Publication | Birch Bayh | Shirley Chisholm | J. William Fulbright | Fred Harris | Harold Hughes | Hubert Humphrey | John Lindsay | Scoop Jackson | Ted Kennedy | Mike Mansfield | Eugene McCarthy | George McGovern | Wilbur Mills | Edmund Muskie | William Proxmire | George Wallace | Sam Yorty |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gallup | Jan. 1969 | — | — | — | — | — | 21% | — | — | 45% | — | 15% | 3% | — | 17% | — | — | — |
Gallup | Oct. 1969 | — | — | — | — | — | 29% | — | — | 27% | — | 10% | 5% | — | 24% | — | — | — |
Gallup | May. 1970 | — | — | — | 1% | 1% | 16% | 10% | — | 17% | — | 9% | 3% | — | 23% | — | — | — |
Gallup | Nov. 1970 | — | — | — | — | — | 16% | 4% | — | 31% | 1% | 6% | 2% | — | 33% | 2% | — | — |
Gallup | Feb. 1971 | — | — | — | — | — | 21% | 5% | — | 25% | — | 4% | 5% | — | 26% | — | — | — |
Gallup | Apr. 1971 | 1% | — | 1% | — | 1% | 18% | 4% | 2% | 29% | 2% | 3% | 5% | 1% | 21% | 2% | — | — |
Gallup | Apr. 1971 | 1% | — | 1% | — | 1% | 18% | 4% | 2% | 29% | 2% | 3% | 5% | 1% | 21% | 2% | — | — |
Gallup | Jul. 1971 | 2% | — | 1% | — | 1% | 18% | 3% | 2% | 22% | 1% | 6% | 5% | 1% | 22% | 1% | — | — |
Gallup | Aug. 1971 | — | — | — | — | — | 13% | 6% | — | 26% | — | 4% | 6% | — | 22% | — | — | — |
Harris [35] | Sep. 1971 | — | — | — | 1% | — | 16% | 7% | 2% | 26% | — | 5% | 4% | 2% | 19% | 1% | — | — |
— | — | — | 1% | — | 27% | 11% | 2% | — | — | 7% | 5% | 2% | 27% | 2% | — | — | ||
Gallup | Nov. 1971 | — | — | — | — | — | 19% | 4% | 6% | 29% | — | 5% | 6% | — | 24% | — | — | — |
Harris [36] | Nov. 1971 | — | — | — | — | — | 15% | 9% | 2% | 25% | — | 3% | 5% | 1% | 22% | 1% | — | 1% |
— | — | — | — | — | 25% | 12% | 2% | — | — | 4% | 6% | 2% | 27% | 2% | — | 1% | ||
Gallup | Dec. 1971 | — | — | — | — | — | 19% | 4% | 4% | 32% | — | 4% | 5% | — | 25% | — | — | 1% |
— | — | — | — | — | 34% | 8% | 5% | — | — | 5% | 8% | — | 31% | — | — | 1% | ||
Gallup | Jan. 1972 | — | 2% | — | — | — | 17% | 5% | 2% | 27% | — | 5% | 3% | — | 32% | — | — | 2% |
— | 2% | — | — | — | 29% | 7% | 3% | — | — | 8% | 3% | — | 39% | — | — | 2% | ||
Harris [37] | Jan. 1972 | — | 3% | — | — | — | 23% | 7% | 5% | — | — | 6% | 5% | — | 30% | — | — | 1% |
Gallup | Feb. 1972 | — | 2% | — | — | — | 23% | 2% | 3% | 24% | — | 3% | 5% | — | 29% | — | — | 1% |
— | 3% | — | — | — | 32% | 5% | 4% | — | — | 4% | 6% | — | 35% | — | — | 1% | ||
Harris [38] | Feb. 1972 | — | 5% | — | — | — | 18% | 6% | 4% | 15% | — | 5% | 5% | — | 22% | — | 11% | 1% |
— | 6% | — | — | — | 21% | 7% | 3% | — | — | 5% | 8% | — | 28% | — | 12% | 1% | ||
Gallup | Mar. 1972 | — | 2% | — | — | — | 31% | 7% | 3% | — | — | 5% | 6% | 2% | 23% | — | 15% | * |
— | 3% | — | — | — | 35% | 8% | 5% | — | — | 6% | 7% | 2% | 28% | — | — | 1% | ||
Gallup | Mar. 1972 | — | 4% | — | — | — | 31% | 5% | 5% | — | — | 4% | 5% | 1% | 22% | — | 17% | * |
Gallup | Apr. 1972 | — | 5% | — | — | — | 30% | — | 4% | — | — | 3% | 17% | 1% | 17% | — | 19% | 1% |
Gallup | May 1972 | — | 3% | — | — | — | 35% | — | 3% | — | — | 3% | 20% | 2% | 11% | — | 18% | — |
Gallup | May 1972 | — | — | — | — | — | 26% | — | — | — | — | — | 25% | — | — | — | 26% | — |
Gallup | Jun. 1972 | — | 3% | — | — | — | 27% | — | 3% | — | — | 2% | 30% | 1% | 6% | — | 25% | — |
Hubert Humphrey made another run at the nomination, in an era when previous nominees were considered legitimate contenders even after losing a general election (Adlai Stevenson had been successful at being re-nominated by Democrats in 1956, and Nixon by the GOP in 1968). He fell just short in delegates, despite winning the popular vote in the 24 states and the District of Columbia which held preference primary and caucus elections open to the rank and file Democratic voter. His bid to contest the results of the California winner-take-all primary failed. Humphrey, like Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson, was considered the favorite of the party establishment after Muskie's withdrawal.
Alabama governor George Wallace, with his "outsider" image, did well in the South (he won every county in the Florida primary with the exception of Miami-Dade) [39] and among alienated and dissatisfied voters. What might have become a forceful campaign was cut short when Wallace was shot while campaigning, and left paralyzed in an assassination attempt by Arthur Bremer.
Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Wilbur Mills was drafted by friends and fellow Congressmen to make himself available as a candidate for the primaries. To position himself to appeal to senior citizens during the 1972 presidential campaign, Mills championed the automatic Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) to Social Security. He was not strong in the primaries and won 33 votes for president from the delegates at the 1972 Democratic National Convention which nominated Senator George McGovern.
Washington Senator Scoop Jackson was little known nationally when he first ran for president in 1972. McGovern accused Jackson of racism for his opposition to busing. Jackson's high point in the campaign was a distant third in the early Florida primary, but he failed to stand out of the pack of better-known rivals, and only made real news later in the campaign as part of the "Anybody but McGovern" coalition, that raised what would be known as the "Acid, Amnesty and Abortion" questions about McGovern. Jackson suspended active campaigning in May after a weak showing in the Ohio primary. Jackson did re-emerge at the August Democratic convention after runner-up Humphrey dropped out of the race. Jackson's name was placed in nomination by Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter, and he finished second in the delegate roll call, well behind nominee McGovern. [40] [41]
Prior to the New Hampshire primary, the "Canuck Letter" was published in the Manchester Union-Leader . The letter (later revealed to have been forged as part of the "dirty tricks" campaign by Nixon staffers) [42] claimed that Muskie had made disparaging remarks about French-Canadians. The paper subsequently published an attack on Muskie's wife Jane, reporting that she drank and used off-color language. Muskie made an emotional defense of his wife in a speech outside the newspaper's offices during a snowstorm. Though Muskie later stated that what had appeared to the press as tears were actually melted snowflakes, the press reported that Muskie broke down and cried. [43] Muskie did worse than expected in the primary, while McGovern came in a surprisingly close second. McGovern now had the momentum, which was well orchestrated by his campaign manager, Gary Hart.
While campaigning in Laurel, Maryland, on May 15, 1972, Wallace was shot five times by Arthur Bremer. Three others wounded in the shooting also survived. Bremer's diary, published after his arrest as a book titled An Assassin's Diary, showed that Bremer's assassination attempt was not motivated by politics, but by a desire for fame, and that President Nixon had been a possible target. The assassination attempt left Wallace paralyzed for the rest of his life, as one of the bullets had lodged in his spinal column.
As a result of the shooting, President Nixon dispatched Secret Service protection to Representatives Shirley Chisholm and Wilbur Mills (two candidates who had not been assigned Secret Service details up to then) as well as Senator Ted Kennedy (though not running, because of his brothers John and Robert having been assassinated). [44]
Following the shooting, Wallace won the May 16 primaries in Maryland and Michigan. Wallace spoke at the Democratic National Convention from his wheelchair in Miami on July 11, 1972. Bremer was sentenced to 53 years in prison for the shooting. He served 35 years of the sentence and was released on parole on November 9, 2007.
In a widely noted article, journalist Seymour Hersh claimed that secret recordings of Nixon prove that, within hours of the assassination attempt, the president and a top aide dispatched a political operative, E. Howard Hunt, who rushed to Milwaukee with plans to surreptitiously enter Bremer's apartment and plant the campaign literature of Democratic contender George McGovern. [45] According to Hersh, Hunt aborted the operation because the FBI had sealed off Bremer's apartment prior to his arrival.
However, a 2007 analysis of the Nixon tapes by the History News Network did not turn up any evidence of the clandestine operation described by Hersh. While the tapes did show that Nixon had instructed presidential aide Charles W. Colson to anonymously spread the false rumor that there was "unmistakable evidence" that Bremer had been a "a supporter of McGovern and Kennedy", there was no apparent trace of Nixon tasking subordinates with entering Bremer's apartment to plant Democratic campaign materials. [46]
George McGovern |
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McGovern had received endorsements from:
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George Wallace |
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Wallace had received endorsements from:
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Hubert Humphrey |
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Humphrey had received endorsements from:
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Edmund Muskie(To April 27th, 1972) |
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Muskie had received endorsements from:
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Scoop Jackson(To May 2nd, 1972) |
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Jackson had received endorsements from:
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Shirley Chisholm |
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Chisholm had received endorsements from:
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Terry Sanford |
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Sanford had received endorsements from:
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John Lindsay(To April 4th, 1972) |
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Lindsay had received endorsements from:
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Fred Harris(To November 10th, 1971) |
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Harris had received endorsements from:
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Birch Bayh(To October 12th, 1971) |
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Bayh had received endorsements from:
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Tablemaker's Note: [g]
Date | Total pledged delegates | Contest and total popular vote | Delegates won and popular vote | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Other(s) Unpledged | |||||||||||||||||
January 25 | 0 (of 44) | Iowa Caucuses [h] | (22.60%) | (1.62%) | - | (35.50%) | (1.06%) | - | (1.33%) | - | - | (1.41%) | - | - | - | - | (35.80%) |
January 29 | 0 (of 25) | Arizona Caucuses [176] 500 SDs | 102 SDs (20.40%) | 2 SDs (0.40%) | - | 189 SDs (37.80%) | 2 SDs (0.40%) | - | 1 SDs (0.20%) | - | 118 SDs (23.60%) | - | - | 1 SDs (0.20%) | - | - | 85 SDs [i] (17.00%) |
February 12 | 25 (of 25) | Arizona State Convention [177] | 5 Del. | - | - | 9 Del. | - | - | - | - | 6 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | 5 Del. [j] |
February 26 | 0 (of 44) | Iowa County Conventions [178] 3,641 SDs | 983 SDs (27.00%) | - | - | 1,409 SDs (38.70%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,249 SDs [k] (34.30%) |
February 27 | 25 (of 25) | Mississippi State Convention [l] [179] [180] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 25 Del. [m] |
March 7 | 20 (of 20) | New Hampshire Primary [181] 88,854 | 6 Del. 33,007 (37.15%) | 348 WI (0.39%) | 175 WI (0.20%) | 14 Del. 41,235 (46.41%) | 197 WI (0.22%) | 3,563 WI (4.01%) | - | - | - | - | 5,401 (6.08%) | 2,417 (2.72%) | - | - | 2,511 [n] (2.83%) |
March 11 | 40 (of 40) | Georgia District Conventions [182] | 4 Del. | - | - | - | - | 1 Del. | 5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 30 Del. [o] |
March 14 | 81 (of 81) | Florida Primary [183] 1,264,554 | 78,232 (6.19%) | 6 Del. 234,658 (18.56%) | 75 Del. 526,651 (41.65%) | 112,523 (8.90%) | 170,156 (13.46%) | 4,539 (0.36%) | 43,989 (3.48%) | - | 82,386 (6.52%) | 5,847 (0.46%) | 2,564 (0.20%) | 3,009 (0.24%) | - | - | - |
March 21 | 0 (of 160) | Illinois Pres. Primary [184] 1,225,144 | 3,687 WI (0.30%) | 1,476 WI (0.12%) | 7,017 WI (0.57%) | 766,914 (62.60%) | 442 WI (0.04%) | - | 777 WI (0.06%) | - | 118 WI (0.01%) | 444,260 (36.26%) | - | - | - | - | 453 [p] (0.04%) |
160 (of 160) | Illinois Del. Primary [185] | 14 Del. | - | - | 59 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 87 Del. [q] | |
March 25 | 34 (of 44) | Iowa District Conventions [186] | 12 Del. | - | - | 14 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 Del. [r] |
March 29 | 32 (of 32) | South Carolina State Convention [187] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32 Del. [s] |
April 4 | 67 (of 67) | Wisconsin Primary [188] 1,128,584 | 54 Del. 333,528 (29.55%) | 13 Del. 233,748 (20.71%) | 248,676 (22.03%) | 115,811 (10.26%) | 88,068 (7.80%) | 913 (0.08%) | 9,198 (0.82%) | - | 75,579 (6.70%) | 15,543 (1.38%) | 2,349 (0.21%) | 766 (0.07%) | 1,213 (0.11%) | - | 3,009 [t] (0.27%) |
April 17 | 0 (of 17) | Idaho Caucuses [189] 425 SDs | 191 SDs (44.94%) | 21 SDs (4.94%) | 4 SDs (0.94%) | 76 SDs (17.88%) | 5 SDs (1.18%) | - | 20 SDs (4.71%) | - | - | - | - | - | 1 SDs (0.24%) | - | 107 SDs [u] (25.18%) |
April 20 | 0 (of 12) | Vermont Caucuses [190] 1,146 SDs | 504 SDs (43.98%) | 18 SDs (1.57%) | 1 SDs (0.09%) | 309 SDs (26.96%) | 1 SDs (0.09%) | 2 SDs (0.17%) | 2 SDs (0.17%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 165 SDs [v] (14.40%) |
April 25 | 102 (of 102) | Massachusetts Primary [191] 618,516 | 102 Del. 325,673 (52.65%) | 48,929 (7.91%) | 45,807 (7.41%) | 0 Del. [w] 131,709 (21.29%) | 8,499 (1.37%) | 19,441 (3.14%) | 0 Del. [x] 22,398 (3.62%) | - | 2,107 (0.34%) | 8,736 (1.41%) | 646 (0.10%) | 874 (0.14%) | - | - | 0 Del. [y] 3,697 [z] (0.60%) |
0 (of 182) | Pennsylvania Pres. Primary [192] 1,374,894 | 280,861 (20.43%) | 481,900 (35.05%) | 292,437 (21.27%) | 279,983 (20.36%) | 38,767 (2.82%) | - | 336 WI (0.02%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 610 [aa] (0.04%) | |
182 [ab] (of 182) | Pennsylvania Del. Primary [192] [193] | 54 Del. [ac] | 74 Del. [ad] | 2 Del. | 40 Del. [ae] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 Del. [af] [ag] | |
April 28–30 | 11 (of 11) | Nevada State Convention [194] | 4.95 Del. | 1.65 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4.40 Del. [ah] |
April 29 | 0 (of 47) | Kentucky Caucuses [195] 1,944 SDs | 381 SDs (19.60%) | 6 SDs (0.31%) | 22 SDs (1.13%) | 59 SDs (3.03%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,526 SDs [ai] (78.50%) |
May 2 | 29 (of 37) | Alabama Del. Convention [196] | - | - | 23 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 Del. [aj] |
76 (of 76) | Indiana Primary [197] 751,458 | - | 49 Del. 354,244 (47.14%) | 27 Del. 309,495 (41.19%) | 87,719 (11.67%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
145 (of 153) | Ohio Primary [198] [199] 1,205,194 | 66 Del. 478,434 (39.70%) | 74 Del. 497,538 (41.28%) | - | 105,903 (8.79%) | 97,896 (8.12%) | - | - | - | - | 25,423 (2.11%) | - | - | - | - | 13 Del. [ak] | |
20 (of 20) | Washington D.C. Primary [200] 29,560 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 Del. 21,217 (71.78%) | 8,343 (28.22%) [al] | |
May 4 | 49 (of 49) | Tennessee Primary [201] 751,458 | 35,551 (7.22%) | 78,350 (15.90%) | 49 Del. 335,858 (68.16%) | 9,634 (1.96%) | 5,896 (1.20%) | 2,543 (0.52%) | 18,809 (3.82%) | - | 1,476 (0.30%) | 2,267 (0.46%) | 692 (0.14%) | 1,621 (0.33%) | - | - | 24 (0.01%) |
May 5 [am] | 51 (of 64) | Minnesota District Conventions [202] | 14 Del. | 26 Del. | - | - | - | - | 6 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
May 6 | 57 (of 57) | North Carolina Primary [181] 821,410 | - | - | 37 Del. 413,518 (50.34%) | 30,739 (3.74%) | 9,416 (1.15%) | - | 61,723 (7.51%) | 27 Del. 306,014 (37.26%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
May 9 | 22 (of 22) | Nebraska Primary [203] 192,137 | 18 Del. 79,309 (41.28%) | 4 Del. 65,968 (34.33%) | 23,912 (12.45%) | 6,886 (3.58%) | 5,276 (2.75%) | 377 (0.20%) | 1,763 (0.92%) | - | 1,244 (0.65%) | 3,194 (1.66%) | 3,459 (1.80%) | 249 (0.13%) | - | - | 500 [an] (0.26%) |
0 (of 35) | West Virginia Pres. Primary [204] 368,484 | - | 246,596 (66.92%) | 121,888 (33.08%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
35 (of 35) | West Virginia Del. Primary [204] | 7 Del. [ao] | 14 Del. [ap] | - | 5 Del. [aq] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 Del. [ar] | |
May 12 | 11 (of 11) | Wyoming State Convention [205] | 0.55 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10.45 Del. [as] |
May 13 | 3 (of 3) | Canal Zone Territorial Convention [206] | 2.5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.5 Del. [at] |
30 (of 35) | Kansas District Conventions [207] | 12 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 Del. [au] | |
44 [av] (of 44) | Louisiana District Conventions [208] [209] | 10 Del. | - | 3 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32 Del. [aw] | |
May 16 | 53 (of 53) | Maryland Primary [210] 568,131 | 6 Del. 126,978 (22.35%) | 6 Del. 151,981 (26.75%) | 41 Del. 219,687 (38.67%) | 13,363 (2.35%) | 17,728 (3.12%) | 4,776 (0.84%) | 12,602 (2.22%) | - | 2,168 (0.38%) | 4,691 (0.83%) | 13,584 (2.39%) | - | 573 (0.10%) | - | - |
132 (of 132) | Michigan Primary [211] [212] 1,588,073 | 38 Del. 425,694 (26.81%) | 27 Del. 249,798 (15.73%) | 67 Del. 809,239 (50.96%) | 38,701 (2.44%) | 6,938 (0.44%) | - | 44,090 (2.78%) | - | - | - | - | 2,862 (0.18%) | - | - | 10,751 [ax] (0.68%) | |
May 19 | 20 (of 20) | Maine State Convention [213] | - | - | - | 20 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
May 19–21 | 17 (of 17) | Hawaii State Convention [214] [215] | 1.5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.5 Del. | - | 14 Del. [ay] |
May 20 | 10 (of 44) | Iowa State Convention [216] | 5 Del. | - | - | 3 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 Del. [az] |
12 (of 12) | Vermont State Convention [217] | 9 Del. | - | - | 3 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
46 (of 52) | Washington District Conventions [218] [219] | 0 Del. [ba] | - | - | - | 46 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
May 23 | 55 (of 73) | Missouri District Conventions [220] | 11 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 44 Del. [bb] |
34 (of 34) | Oregon Primary [221] 408,644 | 34 Del. 205,328 (50.25%) | 51,163 (12.52%) | 81,868 (20.03%) | 10,244 (2.51%) | 22,042 (5.39%) | 1,208 (0.30%) | 2,975 (0.73%) | - | 5,082 (1.24%) | 8,943 (2.19%) | - | - | 6,500 (1.59%) | - | 13,291 [bc] (3.25%) | |
22 (of 22) | Rhode Island Primary [222] 37,864 | 22 Del. 15,603 (41.21%) | 7,701 (20.34%) | 5,802 (15.32%) | 7,838 (20.70%) | 138 (0.36%) | 41 (0.11%) | - | - | - | 245 (0.65%) | 6 (0.02%) | - | - | - | 490 [bd] (1.29%) | |
May 26 | 10 (of 10) | Alaska State Convention [223] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 Del. [be] |
May 27 | 3 (of 3) | Guam Territorial Convention [224] | 1 Del. | 1.5 Del. | - | 0.5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
3 (of 3) | Virgin Islands Territorial Convention [225] [226] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 Del. | |
June 2 | 38 (of 51) | Connecticut District Conventions [227] | 15 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 23 Del. [bf] |
35 (of 47) | Kentucky District Conventions [228] | 7 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 28 Del. [bg] | |
June 3 | 12 (of 47) | Kentucky State Convention [228] | 3 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 Del. [bh] |
30 (of 39) | Oklahoma District Conventions [229] | 10 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 Del. [bi] | |
June 6 | 271 (of 271) | California Primary [230] 3,564,518 | 271 Del. 1,550,652 (43.50%) | 1,375,064 (38.58%) | 268,551 WI (7.53%) | 72,701 (2.04%) | 28,901 (0.81%) | - | 157,435 (4.42%) | - | 26,246 (0.74%) | 34,203 (0.96%) | 50,745 (1.42%) | - | - | - | 20 WI (1.59%) |
17 (of 17) | South Dakota Primary [231] 28,017 | 17 Del. 28,017 (100.00%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
0 (of 109) | New Jersey Pres. Primary [232] 76,834 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 51,433 (66.94%) | 25,401 (33.06%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
109 (of 109) | New Jersey Del. Primary [233] | 72 Del. | 10 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 27 Del. [bj] | |
18 (of 18) | New Mexico Primary [232] 153,293 | 10 Del. 51,011 (33.28%) | 39,768 (25.94%) | 8 Del. 44,843 (29.25%) | 6,411 (4.18%) | 4,236 (2.76%) | - | 3,205 (2.09%) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3,819 [bk] (2.49%) | |
June 9 | 13 (of 64) | Minnesota State Convention [234] | 5 Del. | 7 Del. | - | - | - | - | 1 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
41 (of 53) | Virginia District Conventions [235] [236] | 18 Del. | 2 Del. | - | 1 Del. | - | - | - | 1 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 Del. [bl] | |
June 10 | 5 (of 35) | Kansas State Convention [237] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 Del. [bm] |
18 (of 73) | Missouri State Convention [238] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 Del. [bn] | |
9 (of 39) | Oklahoma State Convention [239] | 3 Del. [bo] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 Del. [bp] | |
12 (of 53) | Virginia State Convention [236] [240] | 9 Del. | 1 Del. | - | - | - | - | 2 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
June 13 | 130 (of 130) | Texas State Convention [241] | 34 Del. | 21 Del. | 42 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 33 Del. [bq] |
June 16 | 27 (of 36) | Colorado District Conventions [242] [243] | 17 Del. | 6 Del. | - | - | - | - | 1 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 Del. [br] |
13 (of 51) | Connecticut State Convention [244] | 5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 Del. [bs] | |
17 (of 17) | Idaho State Convention [245] | 7 Del. | 1 Del. | - | 3 Del. | - | - | 2 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 Del. [bt] | |
14 (of 14) | North Dakota State Convention [246] | 7.7 Del. | 4.2 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2.1 Del. [bu] | |
19 (of 19) | Utah State Convention [247] | 11 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 Del. [bv] | |
June 17 | 17 (of 17) | Montana State Convention [248] | 14.5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | 1 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.5 Del. [bw] |
7 (of 7) | Puerto Rico Local Convention [249] | 6 Del. | 0.5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.5 Del. [bx] | |
June 18 | 9 (of 36) | Colorado State Convention [250] | 7 Del. | 1 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 Del. [by] |
June 20 | 278 [bz] (of 278) | New York Del. Primary [251] [252] | 251 Del. | - | - | 1 Del. | - | - | 4 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 22 Del. [ca] |
June 23 | 6 (of 52) | Washington State Convention [253] | - | - | - | - | 6 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
June 24 | 27 (of 27) | Arkansas State Convention [254] | - | - | - | - | - | 27 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
13 (of 13) | Delaware State Convention [255] | 5.85 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.15 Del. [cb] | |
Total 3,016 pledged delegates 16,207,757 votes | 1319.55 4,051,565 (25.00%) | 345.85 4,119,230 (25.42%) | 371 3,755,424 (23.17%) | 172.5 1,838,314 (11.34%) | 52 504,596 (3.11%) | 28 37,401 (0.23%) | 22 430,733 (2.66%) | 28 331,415 (2.04%) | 6 196,406 (1.21%) | 0 553,352 (3.41%) | 0 79,446 (0.49%) | 0 11,798 (0.07%) | 1.5 8,286 (0.05%) | 20 20,717 (0.13%) | 618.6 47,518 (0.29%) | ||
Suspected Delegate Count as of June 27 [256] | 1,466.15 (48.61%) | 385.50 (12.78%) | 377 (12.50%) | 208.85 (6.92%) | 53.75 (1.78%) | 30.55 (1.01%) | 23.65 (0.78%) | 27 (0.90%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 0 (0.00%) | 441.25 [cc] (14.63%) |
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Hubert H. Humphrey | 4,121,372 | 25.8 | |
George S. McGovern | 4,053,451 | 25.3 | |
George C. Wallace | 3,755,424 | 23.5 | |
Edmund S. Muskie | 1,840,217 | 11.5 | |
Eugene J. McCarthy | 553,955 | 3.5 | |
Henry M. Jackson | 505,198 | 3.2 | |
Shirley A. Chisholm | 430,703 | 2.7 | |
James T. Sanford | 331,415 | 2.1 | |
John V. Lindsay | 196,406 | 1.2 | |
Sam W. Yorty | 79,446 | 0.5 | |
Wilbur D. Mills | 37,401 | 0.2 | |
Walter E. Fauntroy | 21,217 | 0.1 | |
Unpledged delegates | 19,533 | 0.1 | |
Edward M. Kennedy | 16,693 | 0.1 | |
Rupert V. Hartke | 11,798 | 0.1 | |
Patsy M. Mink | 8,286 | 0.1 | |
"None of the names shown" | 6,269 | 0 | |
Others | 5,181 | 0 | |
Total votes | 15,993,965 | 100 |
In the end, McGovern succeeded in winning the nomination by winning primaries through grass-roots support in spite of establishment opposition. He had led a commission to redesign the Democratic nomination system after the messy and confused nomination struggle and convention of 1968. The fundamental principle of the McGovern-Fraser Commission—that the Democratic primaries should determine the winner of the Democratic nomination—lasted throughout every subsequent nomination contest. However, the new rules angered many prominent Democrats whose influence was marginalized, and those politicians refused to support McGovern's campaign (some even supporting Nixon instead), leaving the McGovern campaign at a significant disadvantage in funding compared to Nixon.[ citation needed ]
Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 5, 1968. Republican nominee, former vice president Richard Nixon, defeated both the Democratic nominee, incumbent vice president Hubert Humphrey, and the American Independent Party nominee, former Alabama governor George Wallace.
Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon defeated Democratic Senator George McGovern in a landslide victory. With 60.7% of the popular vote, Richard Nixon won the largest share of the popular vote for the Republican Party in any presidential election.
The 1968 Democratic National Convention was held August 26–29 at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Earlier that year incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had announced he would not seek reelection, thus making the purpose of the convention to select a new presidential nominee for the Democratic Party. Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine were nominated for president and vice president, respectively.
Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. was an American politician and statesman who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Minnesota from 1949 to 1964 and again from 1971 to 1978. As a senator he was a major leader of modern liberalism in the United States. As President Lyndon B. Johnson's vice president, he supported the controversial Vietnam War. An intensely divided Democratic Party nominated him in the 1968 presidential election, which he lost to Republican nominee Richard Nixon.
The 1972 Democratic National Convention was the presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party for the 1972 presidential election. It was held at Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida, also the host city of the Republican National Convention that year, on July 10–13, 1972. Lawrence F. O'Brien served as permanent chairman of the convention, while Yvonne Braithwaite Burke served as vice-chair, becoming the first African American and the first woman of color to hold that position. On the last day of the convention, Lawrence F. O'Brien departed and Burke was left to preside for about fourteen hours.
From January 27 to June 8, 1976, voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for president in the 1976 United States presidential election. Former Georgia governor Jimmy Carter was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1976 Democratic National Convention held from July 12 to July 15, 1976, in New York City.
The 1968 presidential campaign of Eugene McCarthy was launched by United States Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota in the latter part of 1967 to vie for the 1968 Democratic Party nomination for president of the United States. The focus of his campaign was his support for a swift end to the Vietnam War through a withdrawal of American forces. The campaign appealed to youths who were tired of the establishment and dissatisfied with government.
From March 8 to June 7, 1960, voters and members of the Democratic Party elected delegates to the 1960 Democratic National Convention through a series of caucuses, conventions, and primaries, partly for the purpose of nominating a candidate for President of the United States in the 1960 election. The presidential primaries were inconclusive, as several of the leading contenders did not enter them, but U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts emerged as the strongest candidate and won the nomination over Lyndon B. Johnson at the convention, held from July 11 to 15 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
From March to July 1968, Democratic Party voters elected delegates to the 1968 Democratic National Convention for the purpose of selecting the party's nominee for president in the upcoming election. Delegates, and the nominee they were to support at the convention, were selected through a series of primary elections, caucuses, and state party conventions. This was the last time that state primary elections formed a minority of the selection process, as the McGovern–Fraser Commission, which issued its recommendations in time for the 1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries, would dramatically reform the nomination process to expand the use of popular primaries rather than caucuses.
From March 12 to June 11, 1968, voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for president in the 1968 United States presidential election. Former vice president Richard Nixon was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1968 Republican National Convention held from August 5 to August 8, 1968, in Miami Beach, Florida.
Hubert Horatio Humphrey served as the 38th vice president of the United States (1965–1969), as a United States senator from Minnesota, and as the 35th mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota (1945–1948).
Electoral history of Ted Kennedy, United States Senator from Massachusetts (1962–2009) and, at the time of his death, the second most senior member of the Senate.
George McGovern, a Democratic Party politician from South Dakota, was first elected to the United States House of Representatives to represent South Dakota's 1st congressional district in 1956. He was re-elected in 1958, before making an unsuccessful run for the United States Senate in 1960 against Republican incumbent Karl Earl Mundt. After serving in the John F. Kennedy administration as director of the Food for Peace program, McGovern ran again for the Senate and narrowly prevailed over appointed Senator Joseph H. Bottum. In 1968, McGovern unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Party's presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention and was re-elected to the Senate over former Governor of South Dakota Archie M. Gubbrud. In 1972, McGovern was successful in his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, but lost the election in a landslide to incumbent President Richard Nixon. McGovern was re-elected to the Senate in 1974 over Vietnam War veteran Leo K. Thorsness, but lost re-election in 1980 to then-U.S. Representative James Abdnor. McGovern made a final unsuccessful run for president in 1984 United States presidential election.
The 1968 presidential campaign of Hubert Humphrey began when Hubert Humphrey, the 38th and incumbent Vice President of the United States, decided to seek the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States on April 27, 1968, after incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson withdrew his bid for reelection to a second full term on March 31, 1968, and endorsed him as his successor. Johnson withdrew after an unexpectedly strong challenge from anti-Vietnam War presidential candidate, Senator Eugene McCarthy of Minnesota, in the early Democratic primaries. McCarthy, along with Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York, became Humphrey's main opponents for the nomination. Their "new politics" contrasted with Humphrey's "old politics" as the increasingly unpopular Vietnam War intensified.
The George McGovern 1972 presidential campaign began when United States Senator George McGovern from South Dakota launched his second candidacy for the Presidency of the United States in an ultimately unsuccessful bid to win the 1972 presidential election against incumbent president Richard Nixon, winning only in the District of Columbia and the state of Massachusetts. McGovern vied to become the first South Dakota native to become president.
This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1972 election.
This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1968 election. After winning the Democratic presidential nomination at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, incumbent Vice President Hubert Humphrey asked the convention to nominate Maine Senator Edmund Muskie as his running mate. The convention overwhelmingly voted to ratify the choice of Muskie, though Julian Bond picked up a scattering of votes. Muskie was surprised by the selection, as he was from a Northeastern state with few electoral votes. Humphrey almost chose Oklahoma Senator Fred R. Harris, but Humphrey decided that Muskie's age, governmental experience, and quiet temperament made him the better candidate. The Humphrey–Muskie ticket ultimately lost to the Nixon–Agnew ticket in the 1968 election. Muskie's place on the national ticket helped make him an early front-runner for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, though Muskie ultimately dropped out of the contest.
The 1968 United States presidential election in Illinois took place on November 5, 1968, as part of the overall 1968 United States presidential election. Illinois voters selected 26 electors to represent the state in the Electoral College, which would then choose the president and vice president.
The 1968 United States presidential election in Nebraska took place on November 5, 1968, as part of the 1968 United States presidential election. Voters chose five representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Later that year segregationist George Wallace would be shot and handicapped, but before then, he won Florida's primary decisively, carrying every county but Miami-Dade.