1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election

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1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election
Flag of North Carolina (1885-1991).svg
  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  
  James Holshouser official photo (cropped).jpg Skipper Bowles 1967.jpg
Nominee James Holshouser Skipper Bowles
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote767,470729,104
Percentage51.00%48.45%

1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results

Holshouser:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%

Contents

Bowles:     40-50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

Governor before election

Robert W. Scott
Democratic

Elected Governor

James Holshouser
Republican

The 1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Republican nominee James Holshouser defeated Democratic nominee Skipper Bowles with 51% of the vote. Holshouser thus became the first Republican elected governor of the state since 1896.

This election was also the first time in a century (since the 1872 election) that a Republican candidate won an outright majority of the vote.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on May 6, 1972. [1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Skipper Bowles 367,433 45.47
Democratic Hoyt Patrick Taylor Jr. 304,910 37.73
Democratic Reginald A. Hawkins65,9508.16
Democratic Wilbur Hobby 58,9907.30
Democratic C. Eugene Leggett6,3520.79
Democratic Zeb V.K. Dickson4,4700.55
Total votes808,105 100.00
Democratic primary runoff results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Skipper Bowles 336,034 54.34
Democratic Hoyt Patrick Taylor Jr. 282,34545.66
Total votes618,379 100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Gardner 84,906 49.77
Republican James Holshouser 83,637 49.03
Republican Leroy Gibson1,0830.64
Republican Thomas E. Chappell9570.56
Total votes170,583 100.00
Republican primary runoff results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican James Holshouser 69,916 50.65
Republican Jim Gardner 68,13449.36
Total votes138,050 100.00

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

Other candidates

Results

1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican James Holshouser 767,470 51.00%
Democratic Skipper Bowles 729,10448.45%
American Arlis F. Pettyjohn8,2110.55%
Majority38,366
Turnout 1,504,785
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "North Carolina Manual". 1991. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  2. Cook, Rhodes (October 26, 2017). America Votes 32: 2015-2016, Election Returns by State - Rhodes Cook. ISBN   9781506368993 . Retrieved January 7, 2019.