1972 United States gubernatorial elections

1972 United States gubernatorial elections

←  1971 November 7, 1972 1973  →
20 governorships 18 states; 2 territories
Majority party Minority party   Party Democratic Republican Seats before 30 20 Seats after 31 19 Seat change 1 1 Seats up 10 8 Seats won 11 7
Republican hold   Republican gain   Democratic hold   Democratic gain

United States gubernatorial elections were held on 7 November 1972 in 18 states and two territories, concurrent with the House, Senate elections and presidential election.

Gubernatorial elections were also held in Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, and Texas. In these states, they were the last elections on a two-year cycle, before switching to a four-year term for governors (see 1970 United States gubernatorial elections for more information).

Election Results

State	Incumbent	Party	First elected	Result	Candidates
Arkansas	Dale Bumpers	Democratic	1970	Incumbent re-elected. [1]	Y Dale Bumpers (Democratic) 75.44% Len E. Blaylock (Republican) 24.56%
Delaware	Russell W. Peterson	Republican	1968	Incumbent lost re-election. [2] New governor elected. Democratic gain.	Y Sherman W. Tribbitt (Democratic) 51.27% Russell W. Peterson (Republican) 47.91% Virginia M. Lyndall (American) 0.64% Harry H. Conner (Prohibition) 0.17%
Illinois	Richard B. Ogilvie	Republican	1968	Incumbent lost re-election. [3] New governor elected. Democratic gain.	Y Dan Walker (Democratic) 50.68% Richard B. Ogilvie (Republican) 49.02% George LaForest (Socialist Labor) 0.17% Ishmael Flory (Communist) 0.10% Write in 0.03%
Indiana	Edgar Whitcomb	Republican	1968	Incumbent term-limited. [4] New governor elected. Republican hold.	Y Otis Bowen (Republican) 56.77% Matthew E. Welsh (Democratic) 42.46% Berryman S. Hurley (American Independent) 0.40% Finley N. Campbell (Peace and Freedom) 0.30% John Marion Morris (Socialist Labor) 0.08%
Iowa	Robert D. Ray	Republican	1968	Incumbent re-elected. [5]	Y Robert D. Ray (Republican) 58.43% Paul Franzenburg (Democratic) 40.26% Robert Dilley (American Independent) 1.30%
Kansas	Robert Docking	Democratic	1966	Incumbent re-elected. [6]	Y Robert Docking (Democratic) 61.99% Morris Kay (Republican) 37.05% Rolland Ernest Fisher (Prohibition) 0.96%
Missouri	Warren E. Hearnes	Democratic	1964	Incumbent term-limited. [7] New governor elected. Republican gain.	Y Kit Bond (Republican) 55.18% Edward L. Doud (Democrat) 44.64% Paul J. Leonard (Nonpartisan) 0.19%
Montana	Forrest H. Anderson	Democratic	1968	Incumbent retired. [8] New governor elected. Democratic hold.	Y Thomas Lee Judge (Democratic) 54.12% Ed Smith (Republican) 45.88%
New Hampshire	Walter R. Peterson Jr.	Republican	1968	Incumbent lost renomination. [9] New governor elected. [10] Republican hold.	Y Meldrim Thomson Jr. (Republican) 41.38% Roger J. Crowley (Democratic) 39.03% Malcolm McLane (Independent) 19.56% Scattering 0.03%
North Carolina	Robert W. Scott	Democratic	1968	Incumbent term-limited. [11] New governor elected. Republican gain.	Y James Holshouser (Republican) 51% Skipper Bowles (Democratic) 48.45% Arlis F. Pettyjohn (American) 0.55%
North Dakota	William L. Guy	Democratic-NPL	1960	Incumbent retired. [12] New governor elected. Democratic-NPL hold.	Y Arthur A. Link (Democratic-NPL) 51.04% Richard F. Larsen (Republican) 48.96%
Rhode Island	Frank Licht	Democratic	1968	Incumbent retired. [13] New governor elected. Democratic hold.	Y Philip Noel (Democratic) 52.55% Herbert F. DeSimone (Republican) 47.07% Adam J. Varone (Independent) 0.39%
South Dakota	Richard F. Kneip	Democratic	1970	Incumbent re-elected. [14]	Y Richard F. Kneip (Democratic) 60.03% Carveth Thompson (Republican) 39.97%
Texas	Preston Smith	Democratic	1968	Incumbent lost renomination. [15] New governor elected. [16] Democratic hold.	Y Dolph Briscoe (Democratic) 47.91% Henry Grover (Republican) 44.99% Ramsey Muniz (La Raza Unida) 6.28% Debbie Leonard (Socialist Workers) 0.71% Scattering 0.11%
Utah	Cal Rampton	Democratic	1964	Incumbent re-elected. [17]	Y Cal Rampton (Democratic) 69.68% Nicholas L. Strike (Republican) 30.32%
Vermont	Deane C. Davis	Republican	1968	Incumbent retired. [18] New governor elected. Democratic gain.	Y Thomas P. Salmon (Democratic) 55.24% Luther Fred Hackett (Republican) 43.59% Bernie Sanders (Liberty Union) 1.15% Scattering 0.02%
Washington	Daniel J. Evans	Republican	1964	Incumbent re-elected. [19]	Y Daniel J. Evans (Republican) 50.79% Albert Rosellini (Democratic) 42.83% Vick Gould (Taxpayers) 5.90% Robin David (Socialist Workers) 0.31% Henry Killman (Socialist Labor) 0.18%
West Virginia	Arch A. Moore Jr.	Republican	1968	Incumbent re-elected. [20]	Y Arch A. Moore Jr. (Republican) 54.74% Jay Rockefeller (Democratic) 45.26%

Closest races

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

1. Illinois, 1.66%
2. North Dakota, 2.08%
3. New Hampshire, 2.36%
4. North Carolina, 2.55%
5. Texas, 2.92%
6. Delaware, 3.36%

States where the margin of victory was under 10%:

1. Rhode Island, 5.48%
2. Washington, 7.96%
3. Montana, 8.24%
4. West Virginia, 9.48%

Arkansas

1972 Arkansas gubernatorial election

←  1970 November 7, 1972 1974  →

Nominee Dale Bumpers Len E. Blaylock Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 488,892 159,177 Percentage 75.44% 24.56%

County results Bumpers:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

Governor before election Dale Bumpers Democratic Elected Governor Dale Bumpers Democratic

The 1972 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Democratic Governor Dale Bumpers defeated Republican nominee Len E. Blaylock with 75.44% of the vote, despite Democratic nominee George McGovern losing the state in a landslide in the concurrent presidential election.

Delaware

1972 Delaware gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →

Nominee Sherman W. Tribbitt Russell W. Peterson Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 117,274 109,583 Percentage 51.27% 47.91%

County results House district results Tribbitt:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Peterson:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Governor before election Russell W. Peterson Republican Elected Governor Sherman W. Tribbitt Democratic

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.

Illinois

1972 Illinois gubernatorial election

←  1968 (Gov) 1968 (Lt. Gov) November 7, 1972 1976  →
Turnout	75.28% 4.11 pp
Nominee Dan Walker Richard B. Ogilvie Party Democratic Republican Running mate Neil Hartigan Jim Nowlan Popular vote 2,371,303 2,293,809 Percentage 50.68% 49.02%
County results Walker:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Ogilvie:      50–60%     60–70%
Governor before election Richard B. Ogilvie Republican Elected Governor Dan Walker Democratic

The 1972 Illinois gubernatorial election was held in Illinois on November 7, 1972. ^[21] Incumbent first-term Republican governor Richard B. Ogilvie lost reelection in an upset to the Democratic nominee, Dan Walker.

This was the first election in which each party's nominee for lieutenant governor of Illinois ran on a ticket with the gubernatorial nominee for the general election. Previously, there had been two separate elections for the two offices. This would be the last election of the 20th century in which a Democrat won the governorship of Illinois, with all seven remaining elections of that century being won by Republican nominees.

Indiana

1972 Indiana gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →

Nominee Otis Bowen Matthew E. Welsh Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,203,903 900,489 Percentage 56.77% 42.46%

County results Bowen:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Welsh:      40–50%     50–60%

Governor before election Edgar Whitcomb Republican Elected Governor Otis Bowen Republican

The 1972 Indiana gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Although during the same election cycle Indiana voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing the governor to serve in office for eight out of 12 years, incumbent Republican Governor Edgar Whitcomb was term-limited due to having been elected under the prior version of the constitution. ^{[22] [23] [24]}

Republican nominee, Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives Otis Bowen defeated Democratic nominee Former Governor (1961-1965) Matthew E. Welsh with 56.77% of the vote.

Iowa

1972 Iowa gubernatorial election

←  1970 November 7, 1972 1974  →

Nominee Robert D. Ray Paul Franzenburg Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 707,177 487,282 Percentage 58.4% 40.3%

County results Ray:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%

Governor before election Robert D. Ray Republican Elected Governor Robert D. Ray Republican

The 1972 Iowa gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Republican Robert D. Ray defeated Democratic nominee Paul Franzenburg with 58.43% of the vote.

Kansas

1972 Kansas gubernatorial election

←  1970 November 7, 1972 1974  →

Nominee Robert Docking Morris Kay Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 571,256 341,440 Percentage 62.0% 37.1%

County results Docking:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Kay:      50–60%

Governor before election Robert Docking Democratic Elected Governor Robert Docking Democratic

The 1972 Kansas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Democrat Robert Docking defeated Republican nominee Morris Kay with 62.0% of the vote.

Missouri

1972 Missouri gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →

Nominee Kit Bond Edward L. Dowd Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,029,451 832,751 Percentage 55.2% 44.6%

County results Bond:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80% Dowd:     50-60%     60-70%

Governor before election Warren E. Hearnes Democratic Elected Governor Kit Bond Republican

The 1972 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972 in the U.S state of Missouri and resulted in a victory for the Republican nominee for the first time since 1940 incumbent State Auditor of Missouri Kit Bond, over the Democratic nominee, Edward L. Dowd, and Nonpartisan Paul J. Leonard. Joseph P. Teasdale was a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination, before winning the nomination in the 1976 election, as was lieutenant governor William S. Morris, while Gene McNary was a candidate for the Republican nomination.

Montana

1972 Montana gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →
Turnout	84.60%1.80 [25]
Nominee Thomas Lee Judge Ed Smith Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 172,523 146,231 Percentage 54.12% 45.88%
County results Anderson:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Smith:      50-60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Governor before election Forrest H. Anderson Democratic Elected Governor Thomas Lee Judge Democratic

The 1972 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Governor of Montana Forrest H. Anderson, who was first elected in 1968, declined to seek re-election. Thomas Lee Judge, the Lieutenant Governor of Montana, won a competitive Democratic primary, and moved on to the general election, where he faced Ed Smith, a rancher and the Republican nominee. Although then-President Richard Nixon won the state in a landslide in that year's presidential election, Judge managed to handily defeat Smith, winning his first of two terms as governor.

New Hampshire

1972 New Hampshire gubernatorial election

←  1970 November 7, 1972 1974  →

Nominee Meldrim Thomson Jr. Roger J. Crowley Malcolm McLane Party Republican Democratic Independent Popular vote 133,702 126,107 63,199 Percentage 41.38% 39.03% 19.56%

County results Municipality results Thomson:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Crowley:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     >90% McLane:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% No Data/Vote:

Governor before election Walter R. Peterson Jr. Republican Elected Governor Meldrim Thomson Jr. Republican

The 1972 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Republican Governor Walter R. Peterson Jr. was defeated for renomination in the Republican primary.

Republican nominee Meldrim Thomson Jr. defeated Democratic nominee Roger J. Crowley with 41.38% of the vote.

North Carolina

1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →

Nominee James Holshouser Skipper Bowles Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 767,470 729,104 Percentage 51.00% 48.45%

County results Holshouser:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% 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.

North Dakota

1972 North Dakota gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →

Nominee Arthur A. Link Richard F. Larsen Party Democratic–NPL Republican Popular vote 143,899 138,032 Percentage 51.0% 49.0%

County results Link:      50–60%     60–70% Larsen:      50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election William L. Guy Democratic–NPL Elected Governor Arthur A. Link Democratic–NPL

The 1972 North Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. The election pitted Democratic Congressman Arthur A. Link Against Republican Lieutenant governor Richard F. Larsen. Link Narrowly Defeated Larsen by a margin of 51% to 49%.

Rhode Island

1972 Rhode Island gubernatorial election

←  1970 November 7, 1972 1974  →

Nominee Philip Noel Herbert DeSimone Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 216,953 194,315 Percentage 52.55% 47.07%

County results Municipality results Noel:      50–60%     60–70% DeSimone:      40–50%     50–60%

Governor before election Frank Licht Democratic Elected Governor Philip Noel Democratic

The 1972 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Democratic nominee Philip Noel defeated Republican nominee Herbert F. DeSimone with 52.55% of the vote.

South Dakota

1972 South Dakota gubernatorial election

←  1970 November 7, 1972 (1972-11-07) 1974  →

Nominee Richard F. Kneip Carveth Thompson Party Democratic Republican Running mate Bill Dougherty Popular vote 185,012 123,165 Percentage 60.0% 40.0%

County results Kneip:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Thompson:      50-60%     60-70%

Governor before election Richard F. Kneip Democratic Elected Governor Richard F. Kneip Democratic

The 1972 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972, to elect a Governor of South Dakota. It was the last election in South Dakota to elect the governor for a two-year term after a 1972 state constitutional amendment established a four-year term. ^[26] Democratic nominee Richard F. Kneip was re-elected, defeating Republican nominee Carveth Thompson despite incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon winning the state with 62% of the vote on the same ballot.

Texas

1972 Texas gubernatorial election

←  1970 November 7, 1972 1974  →

Nominee Dolph Briscoe Henry Grover Ramsey Muñiz Party Democratic Republican Raza Unida Popular vote 1,633,493 1,533,986 214,118 Percentage 47.9% 45.0% 6.3%

County results Briscoe:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Grover:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Muñiz:     40–50%     50–60%

Governor before election Preston Smith Democratic Elected Governor Dolph Briscoe Democratic

The 1972 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Democratic governor Preston Smith ran for reelection, but lost renomination to businessman Dolph Briscoe. Smith was overwhelmingly rejected in the Democratic primary, taking fourth place with only 8% of the vote amid the fallout from the Sharpstown scandal. Briscoe went on to win the general election by a relatively small margin, winning 48% of the vote to Republican Henry Grover's 45%. Raza Unida candidate Ramsey Muniz won 6%.

Utah

1972 Utah gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →

Nominee Cal Rampton Nicholas L. Strike Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 331,998 144,449 Percentage 69.69% 30.31%

County results Rampton:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Strike:      50–60%

Governor before election Cal Rampton Democratic Elected Governor Cal Rampton Democratic

The 1972 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Democratic incumbent Cal Rampton defeated Republican nominee Nicholas L. Strike with 69.69% of the vote. Rampton's victory was despite incumbent Republican president Richard Nixon winning the state with over 67% of the vote in the concurrent presidential election. ^[27] The election made Rampton the first governor to serve three terms. ^[28]

Vermont

1972 Vermont gubernatorial election

←  1970 November 7, 1972 (1972-11-07) 1974  →

Nominee Thomas P. Salmon Luther F. Hackett Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 104,533 82,491 Percentage 55.3% 43.6%

County results Salmon:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Hackett:      40–50%     50–60%

Governor before election Deane C. Davis Republican Elected Governor Thomas P. Salmon Democratic

The 1972 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1972. The incumbent Republican Gov. Deane C. Davis was not a candidate for re-election to another term as Governor of Vermont. The Democratic nominee, Thomas P. Salmon, defeated the Republican nominee, Luther F. Hackett, to become his successor. Future U.S. senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders ran as a member of the Liberty Union Party.

Washington

1972 Washington gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →

Nominee Daniel J. Evans Albert Rosellini Vick Gould Party Republican Democratic Taxpayers Popular vote 747,825 630,613 86,843 Percentage 50.78% 42.82% 5.90%

County results Evans:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% Rosellini:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election Daniel J. Evans Republican Elected Governor Daniel J. Evans Republican

The 1972 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Governor of Washington Daniel J. Evans, who was first elected eight years earlier, and then re-elected in 1968, was eligible for re-election, as Washington does not have gubernatorial term limits.

On election day, Evans defeated former governor Albert D. Rosellini by a comfortable margin of 51% to 43% in a rematch of the 1964 contest.

West Virginia

1972 West Virginia gubernatorial election

←  1968 November 7, 1972 1976  →

Nominee Arch A. Moore Jr. Jay Rockefeller Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 423,817 350,462 Percentage 54.74% 45.26%

County results Moore:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Rockefeller:     50–60%

Governor before election Arch A. Moore Jr. Republican Elected Governor Arch A. Moore Jr. Republican

The 1972 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1972, to elect the governor of West Virginia. Incumbent governor Arch A. Moore, Jr. successfully ran for reelection to a second term. This was the first time a governor was reelected to a second four year term in state history, and the first time a governor had been reelected since 1872.

See also

• 1972 United States elections
  • 1972 United States presidential election
  • 1972 United States Senate elections
  • 1972 United States House of Representatives elections

References

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2. "DE Governor" . Retrieved July 4, 2012.
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20. "WV Governor" . Retrieved July 4, 2012.
21. "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 7, 1972 JUDICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 21, 1972" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved June 26, 2020.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
22. "Indiana Governor Term Limits, Amendment 2 (1972)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
23. "World War II Hero, Former Indiana Governor Edgar Whitcomb Dead At 98". www.wfyi.org. WFYI: Indianapolis' Public Radio, TV & News Station. February 4, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
24. Cole, Ryan (February 6, 2016). "A Politician Who Was His Own Man: Edgar Whitcomb, R.I.P." www.nationalreview.com. National Review. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
25. "Montana Voter Turnout". Montana Secretary of State. February 22, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
26. Public affairs, Issues 52-108. February 1973. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
27. "1972 Presidential General Election Results – Utah". Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
28. "Calvin L. Rampton". Utah State Capitol . Retrieved January 20, 2025.