The 1972 United States Senate elections were held on November 7, with the 33 seats of Class 2 contested in regular elections. They coincided with the landslide re-election of Republican President Richard Nixon. Despite Nixon's landslide victory, Democrats increased their majority by two seats. The Democrats picked up open seats in Kentucky and South Dakota, and defeated four incumbent senators: Gordon Allott of Colorado, J. Caleb Boggs of Delaware, Jack Miller of Iowa, and Margaret Chase Smith of Maine. The Republicans picked up open seats in New Mexico, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, and defeated one incumbent, William B. Spong Jr. of Virginia.
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Results of the elections: Democratic gain Republican gain Democratic hold Republican hold No election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
After the elections, Democrats held 56 seats, and Republicans held 42 seats, with 1 Conservative and 1 independent senator in the chamber as well. These were the first elections in which all citizens at least 18 years of age (instead of 21, and older) could vote, due to the 1971 passage of the 26th Amendment.
As of 2024, this is the last time in which a Republican won a Senate election in New Jersey. Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States (2021–present) and 47th vice president (2009–2017), first won election to the United States Senate, defeating J. Caleb Boggs in the election in Delaware.
Results summary
edit| 56 | 1 | 1 | 42 |
| Democratic | I | C | Republican |
| Parties | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | Conservative | Independent | Other | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last elections (1970) Before these elections |
54 | 44 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Not up | 40 | 25 | 1 | 1 | — | 67 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Up Class 2 (1966→1972) |
14 | 19 | 0 | 0 | — | 33 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Incumbent retired | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Held by same party | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Replaced by other party |  2 Republicans replaced by  2 Democrats 2 Democrats replaced by 2 Republicans
|
— | — | — | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Incumbent ran | 11 | 16 | — | — | — | 27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Won re-election | 8 | 12 | — | — | — | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost re-election | 4 Republicans replaced by 4 Democrats 1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican
|
— | — | — | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost renomination, but held by same party |
1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost renomination, and party lost |
1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican
|
— | — | — | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | 13 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total elected | 16 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net gain/loss | 2
|
2
|
|
|
|
2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationwide vote | 17,199,567 | 19,821,203 | 42,348 | 318,238 | 427,742 | 37,809,098 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share | 45.49% | 52.42% | 0.11% | 0.84% | 1.13% | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | 56 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (1973). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
Gains, losses, and holds
editRetirements
editThree Republicans and three Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.
Defeats
editFour Republicans and three Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.
Post-election changes
edit| State | Senator | Replaced by |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio (Class 3) |
William B. Saxbe | Howard Metzenbaum |
Change in composition
editBefore the elections
editAfter the January 7, 1972, Vermont special election.
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 |
| D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 |
| D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 | D28 | D29 | D30 |
| D40 | D39 | D38 | D37 | D36 | D35 | D34 | D33 | D32 | D31 |
| D41 Ala. Ran |
D42 Ark. Ran |
D43 Ga. (sp) Ga. (reg) Ran |
D44 La. Retired |
D45 Minn. Ran |
D46 Miss. Ran |
D47 Mont. Ran |
D48 N.H. Ran |
D49 N.M. Ran |
D50 N.C. Ran |
| Majority → | D51 Okla. Ran | ||||||||
| R41 S.D. Ran |
R42 Tenn. Ran |
R43 Texas Retired |
R44 Wyo. Ran |
C1 | I1 | D54 W.Va. Ran |
D53 Va. Ran |
D52 R.I. Ran | |
| R40 S.C. Ran |
R39 Ore. Ran |
R38 N.J. Ran |
R37 Neb. Ran |
R36 Mich. Ran |
R35 Mass. Ran |
R34 Maine Ran |
R33 Ky. Retired |
R32 Kan. Ran |
R31 Iowa Ran |
| R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 Alaska Ran |
R27 Colo. Ran |
R28 Del. Ran |
R29 Idaho Ran |
R30 Ill. Ran |
| R20 | R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
Elections results
edit| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 |
| D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 |
| D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 | D28 | D29 | D30 |
| D40 | D39 | D38 | D37 | D36 | D35 | D34 | D33 | D32 | D31 |
| D41 Ala. Re-elected |
D42 Ark. Re-elected |
D43 Ga. (sp) Ga. (reg) Hold |
D44 La. Hold |
D45 Minn. Re-elected |
D46 Miss. Re-elected |
D47 Mont. Re-elected |
D48 N.H. Re-elected |
D49 R.I. Re-elected |
D50 W.Va. Re-elected |
| Majority → | D51 Colo. Gain | ||||||||
| R41 Okla. Gain |
R42 Va. Gain |
C1 | I1 | D56 S.D. Gain |
D55 Maine Gain |
D54 Ky. Gain |
D53 Iowa Gain |
D52 Del. Gain | |
| R40 N.C. Gain |
R39 N.M. Gain |
R38 Wyo. Re-elected |
R37 Texas Re-elected |
R36 Tenn. Re-elected |
R35 S.C. Re-elected |
R34 Ore. Re-elected |
R33 N.J. Re-elected |
R32 Neb. Re-elected |
R31 Mich. Re-elected |
| R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 Alaska Re-elected |
R27 Idaho Hold |
R28 Ill. Re-elected |
R29 Kan. Re-elected |
R30 Mass. Re-elected |
| R20 | R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
| Key: |
|
|---|
Race summaries
editSpecial elections during the 92nd Congress
editIn these special elections, the winner was seated during 1972 or before January 3, 1973; ordered by election date, then state.
| State (linked to summaries below) |
Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
| Vermont (Class 1) |
Robert Stafford | Republican | 1971 (Appointed) | Interim appointee elected January 7, 1972. |
|
| Georgia (Class 2) |
David H. Gambrell | Democratic | 1971 (Appointed) | Interim appointee lost nomination. New senator elected November 7, 1972. Democratic hold. Winner also elected to the next term, see below. |
|
Elections leading to the next Congress
editIn these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1973; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.
| State (linked to summaries below) |
Incumbent | Results | Candidates | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
| Alabama | John Sparkman | Democratic | 1946 (special) 1948 1954 1960 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Alaska | Ted Stevens | Republican | 1968 (Appointed) 1970 (special) |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Arkansas | John L. McClellan | Democratic | 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Colorado | Gordon Allott | Republican | 1954 1960 1966 |
Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain. |
|
| Delaware | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 1960 1966 |
Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain. |
|
| Georgia | David H. Gambrell | Democratic | 1971 (Appointed) | Interim appointee lost nomination. New senator elected. Democratic hold. Winner also elected to finish the term, see above. |
|
| Idaho | Leonard B. Jordan | Republican | 1962 (Appointed) 1962 (special) 1966 |
Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Republican hold. |
|
| Illinois | Charles H. Percy | Republican | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Iowa | Jack Miller | Republican | 1960 1966 |
Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain. |
|
| Kansas | James B. Pearson | Republican | 1962 (Appointed) 1962 (special) 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Kentucky | John Sherman Cooper | Republican | 1946 (special) 1948 (Lost) 1952 (special) 1954 (Lost) 1956 (special) 1960 1966 |
Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Democratic gain. |
|
| Louisiana | Elaine Edwards | Democratic | 1972 (Appointed) | Interim appointee retired. New senator elected. Democratic hold. Interim appointee resigned November 13, 1972, to give successor preferential seniority. Winner appointed November 14, 1972. |
|
| Maine | Margaret Chase Smith | Republican | 1948 1954 1960 1966 |
Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain. |
|
| Massachusetts | Edward Brooke | Republican | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Michigan | Robert P. Griffin | Republican | 1966 (Appointed) 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Minnesota | Walter Mondale | DFL | 1964 (Appointed) 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Mississippi | James Eastland | Democratic | 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Montana | Lee Metcalf | Democratic | 1960 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Nebraska | Carl Curtis | Republican | 1954 1960 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| New Hampshire | Thomas J. McIntyre | Democratic | 1962 (special) 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| New Jersey | Clifford P. Case | Republican | 1954 1960 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| New Mexico | Clinton Anderson | Democratic | 1948 1954 1960 1966 |
Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Republican gain. |
|
| North Carolina | B. Everett Jordan | Democratic | 1958 (Appointed) 1958 (special) 1960 1966 |
Incumbent lost renomination. New senator elected. Republican gain. |
|
| Oklahoma | Fred R. Harris | Democratic | 1964 (special) 1966 |
Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Republican gain. |
|
| Oregon | Mark Hatfield | Republican | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Rhode Island | Claiborne Pell | Democratic | 1960 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| South Carolina | Strom Thurmond | Republican | 1954 (write-in)[a] 1954 (Appointed) 1956 (Resigned) 1956 (special) 1960 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| South Dakota | Karl Mundt | Republican | 1948 1948 (Appointed) 1954 1960 1966 |
Incumbent retired. New senator elected. Democratic gain. |
|
| Tennessee | Howard Baker | Republican | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Texas | John Tower | Republican | 1961 (special) 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Virginia | William Spong Jr. | Democratic | 1966 | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Republican gain. |
|
| West Virginia | Jennings Randolph | Democratic | 1958 (special) 1960 1966 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Wyoming | Clifford Hansen | Republican | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Closest races
editSeventeen races had a margin of victory under 10%:
| State | Party of winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Democratic (flip) | 1.0% |
| Delaware | Democratic (flip) | 1.4% |
| Kentucky | Democratic (flip) | 3.3% |
| Oklahoma | Republican (flip) | 3.8% |
| Montana | Democratic | 3.9% |
| Virginia | Republican (flip) | 5.4% |
| Georgia (special) | Democratic | 5.5% |
| Michigan | Republican | 6.0% |
| Nebraska | Republican | 6.3% |
| Maine | Democratic (flip) | 6.4% |
| Idaho | Republican | 6.8% |
| Oregon | Republican | 7.5% |
| Georgia | Democratic | 7.95%[b] |
| Rhode Island | Democratic | 8.0% |
| New Mexico | Republican (flip) | 8.0% |
| North Carolina | Republican (flip) | 8.0% |
| Texas | Republican | 9.1% |
Alabama
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Sparkman: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Blount: 50–60% LeFlore: 40–50% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
In 1946, John H. Bankhead II suffered a stroke during a U.S. Senate hearing and died three weeks later. John Sparkman, who had served as U.S. Representative since 1937 and was House Majority Whip, secured the endorsements of party leaders and ran unopposed to win the remainder of Bankhead's term. Sparkman was then re-elected in 1948, 1954, 1960, and 1966 all by wide margins. At the time, the Democratic Party was dominant in Alabama; winning the Democratic primary virtually guaranteed a general election victory. Until 1966, Sparkman never faced an opponent in the general election who garnered more than 30% of the vote. Sparkman also served as the running mate of Adlai Stevenson II in an unsuccessful 1952 presidential campaign.
However, in 1966, the Democratic Party began to feel the backlash of Civil rights legislation in the South, and Sparkman faced his closest political contest to date. He defeated John Grenier with just 60% of the vote. Richard Nixon's election in 1968 also helped Republicans gain recognition in Alabama. In 1972, Sparkman faced Winton M. Blount, who was serving as Postmaster General.[4]
Sparkman ultimately increased his vote share in a lopsided victory over Blount, who won just two counties, Houston county and, fittingly, the phonetically similar Winston county. This would be Sparkman's final term as U.S. senator. He retired in 1979 and was succeeded by Howell Heflin.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Sparkman (Incumbent) | 654,491 | 62.27 | |
| Republican | Winton M. Blount | 347,523 | 33.06 | |
| National Democratic (Ala.) | John L. LeFlore | 31,421 | 2.99 | |
| Prohibition | Jerome B. Couch | 10,826 | 1.03 | |
| Conservative | Herbert W. Stone | 6,838 | 0.65 | |
| Majority | 306,968 | 29.21 | ||
| Turnout | 1,051,099 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Alaska
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 Results by state house district Stevens: 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Republican Ted Stevens was originally elected to the U.S. Senate in 1970, succeeding Democrat Bob Bartlett. He won election to the remainder of Barlett's term with nearly 60% of the vote.
In 1972, he faced Democrat Gene Guess in the general election. Stevens won re-election in a landslide even as Democrat Mike Gravel served as the state's other senator. On election day, Stevens won re-election to a second term (his first full term) against Guess, 77–23%. Stevens would be re-elected in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996, and 2002 with at least 66% of the vote before losing re-election in 2008 amid criminal charges.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ted Stevens (Incumbent) | 74,216 | 77.30 | |
| Democratic | Gene Guess | 21,791 | 22.70 | |
| Majority | 52,425 | 54.60 | ||
| Turnout | 96,007 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Arkansas
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results McClellan: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Babbitt: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Democrat John Little McClellan was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Little McClellan (Incumbent) | 386,398 | 60.88 | |
| Republican | Wayne H. Babbitt | 248,238 | 39.12 | |
| Majority | 138,160 | 21.76 | ||
| Turnout | 634,636 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Colorado
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Haskell: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Allott: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Republican Gordon Allott was defeated by Floyd K. Haskell.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Floyd K. Haskell | 457,545 | 49.41 | |
| Republican | Gordon L. Allott (Incumbent) | 447,957 | 48.37 | |
| Raza Unida | Secundion 'Sal' Salazar | 13,228 | 1.43 | |
| American | Henry Olshaw | 7,353 | 0.79 | |
| Majority | 9,588 | 1.04 | ||
| Turnout | 926,083 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Delaware
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
  Map key Biden:
40–50%
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Republican J. Caleb Boggs, running for a third term, faced off against future President Joe Biden, then a New Castle County Councilman. Though Boggs was expected to easily win a third term over the then-unknown Biden, it ended up being the closest Senate election in 1972, and Biden narrowly beat out Boggs by a little over three thousand votes, winning what would be his first of seven terms.
Boggs, a longtime Delaware political figure, was considering retirement which would likely have led to a primary campaign between two Republicans, U.S. Representative Pete du Pont and Wilmington Mayor Harry G. Haskell Jr. To avoid the anticipated divisive primary fight, U.S. President Richard M. Nixon helped convince Boggs to run again with full party support.
No other Democrat wanted to run against Boggs besides Biden.[6] Biden's campaign had virtually no money and was given no chance of winning.[7] It was managed by his sister Valerie Biden Owens (who would go on to manage his future campaigns as well) and staffed by other members of his family, and relied upon handed-out newsprint position papers.[8] Biden did receive some assistance from the AFL–CIO and Democratic pollster Patrick Caddell.[6] Biden's campaign issues focused on withdrawal from Vietnam, the environment, civil rights, mass transit, more equitable taxation, health care, the public's dissatisfaction with politics-as-usual, and "change".[6][8]
During the summer Biden trailed by almost 30 percentage points,[6] but his energetic campaign, his attractive young family, and his ability to connect with voters' emotions gave the surging Biden an advantage over the ready-to-retire Boggs.[9] Biden won the November 7, 1972, election in an upset by a margin of 3,162 votes.[8]
At the time of the election Biden was a little less than 30 years old; age 30 is a constitutional requirement for the U.S. Senate, and he reached that on November 20, in time for the Senate term beginning January 3. After his election he became the sixth-youngest senator in history.[10]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joe Biden | 116,006 | 50.48 | +9.59% | |
| Republican | J. Caleb Boggs (Incumbent) | 112,844 | 49.10 | −10.02% | |
| American | Henry Majka | 803 | 0.35 | ||
| Prohibition | Herbert B. Wood | 175 | 0.07 | ||
| Majority | 3,162 | 1.38 | −16.86% | ||
| Turnout | 229,828 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | |||||
Georgia
editSeven-term Democrat Richard Russell Jr. had served as U.S. senator since 1933, but he died January 21, 1971, while serving as President pro tempore. Russell supported segregation in the South and opposed Civil Rights legislation as was common among Southern Democrats of the time. Governor of Georgia Jimmy Carter appointed Democrat David H. Gambrell, the chair of the Georgia Democratic Party as interim senator, pending a special election.
Georgia (special)
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 Nunn: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90% Thompson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% No Vote: | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Sam Nunn, a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives, won both the special and the regular elections. Nunn beat Gambrell in the August 29 special and regular primary run-off elections[11] despite trailing Gambrell initially 31-23% in the first round of voting.
In the special election to fill the remainder of Russell's term, Nunn faced Republican congressman Fletcher Thompson. Nunn's campaign was noted to be more organized than was Thompson's. Nunn had support from numerous prominent Georgia Democrats, including Gambrell and Carter. Thompson's campaign was "almost literally a one-man effort", and he started the race with almost no footprint outside of his own district.[12] Thompson was endorsed by Barry Goldwater, James L. Buckley, and Spiro Agnew.[13]
On the day of the special election, Nunn defeated Thompson 52-47%. Though Thompson performed well in the Atlanta metro area, Nunn swept most rural counties en route to a victory.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sam Nunn | 404,890 | 51.98 | |
| Republican | Fletcher Thompson | 362,501 | 46.54 | |
| Independent | Alice Conner | 7,587 | 0.97 | |
| Independent | George E. Schmidt | 3,932 | 0.51 | |
| Majority | 42,389 | 7.94 | ||
| Turnout | 25.69% | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Georgia (regular)
edit| | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 Nunn: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Thompson: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
In the general election held later that year, Nunn again defeated Thompson this time by almost 8 percentage points. Nonetheless, this marked a turning point in Georgia electoral politics: Nunn became the first Democrat to win a Senate race in Georgia despite losing the white vote.[12] Nunn also proved to be more moderate than his predecessor Russell, voting in favor of abortion rights, gun control, affirmative action, and environmental regulations.
Nunn would be re-elected in 1978, 1984, and 1990 before retiring in 1997. This was the last time he won less than 79% of the vote in a U.S. Senate election. In 1996, he was succeeded by Democrat Max Cleland.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sam Nunn | 635,970 | 53.96 | |
| Republican | Fletcher Thompson | 542,331 | 46.01 | |
| None | Write-Ins | 407 | 0.03 | |
| Majority | 93,639 | 7.94 | ||
| Turnout | 1,178,708 | 25.69% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Idaho
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results McClure: 50–60% 60–70% Davis: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Republican Leonard B. Jordan retired, and was succeeded by James A. McClure.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James A. McClure | 161,804 | 52.26 | |
| Democratic | William E. Davis | 140,913 | 45.51 | |
| American | Jean L. Stoddard | 6,885 | 2.22 | |
| Majority | 20,891 | 6.75 | ||
| Turnout | 309,602 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Illinois
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 51.24% | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||
 County Results Percy: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Republican Charles H. Percy sought re-election. Percy was opposed by: Democratic nominee Roman Pucinski, a Congressman from Illinois's 11th congressional district, Edward C. Gross (SL) and Arnold Becchetti (C). Percy handily won a second term.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles H. Percy (Incumbent) | 2,867,078 | 61.21 | +7.27% | |
| Democratic | Roman Pucinski | 1,721,031 | 37.35 | −6.55% | |
| Socialist Labor | Edward C. Gross | 13,384 | 0.29 | ||
| Communist | Arnold Becchetti | 6,103 | 0.13 | ||
| Write-in | 784 | 0.02 | |||
| Majority | 1,146,047 | 24.87 | +13.82% | ||
| Turnout | 3,822,724 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
Iowa
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Clark: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Miller: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Republican Jack Miller was defeated by Dick Clark.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dick Clark | 662,637 | 55.07 | |
| Republican | Jack Miller (Incumbent) | 530,525 | 44.09 | |
| American | William A. Rocap Jr. | 8,954 | 0.74 | |
| By Petition | Fred Richard Benton | 1,203 | 0.10 | |
| None | Scattering | 14 | 0.00 | |
| Majority | 132,112 | 10.98 | ||
| Turnout | 1,203,333 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Kansas
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Pearson: 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Republican James B. Pearson was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James B. Pearson (Incumbent) | 622,591 | 71.42 | |
| Democratic | Archibald O. Tetzlaff | 200,764 | 23.03 | |
| Conservative | Gene F. Miller | 35,510 | 4.07 | |
| Prohibition | Howard Hadin | 12,857 | 1.47 | |
| Majority | 421,827 | 48.39 | ||
| Turnout | 871,722 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Kentucky
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Huddleston: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Nunn: 50-60% 60-70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Republican John Sherman Cooper retired, and was succeeded by Democrat Walter Dee Huddleston.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Walter D. Huddleston | 528,550 | 50.93 | |
| Republican | Louie B. Nunn | 494,337 | 47.63 | |
| American | Helen Breeden | 8,707 | 0.84 | |
| Populist | William E. Bartley Jr. | 6,267 | 0.60 | |
| Majority | 34,223 | 3.30 | ||
| Turnout | 1,037,861 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Louisiana
editIn the midst of his campaign for a seventh term, Allen J. Ellender, the President Pro Tempore and chairman of the Appropriations Committee, suffered a fatal heart attack on July 27, 23 days prior to the Democratic primary. Ellender, first elected in 1936 as the permanent successor to the assassinated Huey P. Long, was slated to face former state senator and 1971 gubernatorial candidate J. Bennett Johnston and minor candidate Frank Allen in the primary.
Governor Edwin Washington Edwards, who defeated Johnston by less than 4,500 votes in the 1971 Democratic runoff, nominated his wife, Elaine Edwards, to fill the remainder of Ellender's term, with the agreement Mrs. Edwards would resign immediately following the general election to allow the winner to gain seniority over other new senators.
On the same day as Edwards' inauguration on Capitol Hill, the Louisiana Democratic Party rejected a challenge by former Governor John McKeithen to reopen qualifying following Ellender's death, ordering the primary to be held August 19 as scheduled, ignoring an opinion to the contrary by Louisiana Attorney General William J. Guste Jr. Ellender's name was not removed from the ballot and he received 10 percent of the primary vote as a tribute. McKeithen, whose eight-year gubernatorial tenure ended May 9, 1972, ran as an independent with support of the Ellender family, incensed by Johnston's primary challenge.
Johnston easily won the Democratic primary, nullifying the need for a September 30 runoff. In the general election, the Shreveport native trounced McKeithen by 32 points to win the first of his four terms. He was sworn in on November 13, 1972.
 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
 Parish Results Johnston: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% McKeithen: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | J. Bennett Johnston | 598,987 | 55.21 | |
| Independent | John McKeithen | 250,161 | 23.06 | |
| Republican | Ben C. Toledano | 206,846 | 19.07 | |
| American | Hall M. Lyons | 28,910 | 2.66 | |
| Majority | 348,826 | 32.15 | ||
| Turnout | 1,084,904 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Maine
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County Results Hathaway: 50–60% 60–70% Smith: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Republican Margaret Chase Smith ran for re-election to a fifth term, but was defeated by Democrat William Hathaway, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's 2nd congressional district.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | William Hathaway | 224,270 | 53.23 | |
| Republican | Margaret Chase Smith (Incumbent) | 197,040 | 46.77 | |
| Majority | 27,230 | 6.46 | ||
| Turnout | 421,310 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Massachusetts
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Republican Edward Brooke, first elected in 1966 as the first African-American elected to the Senate by popular vote,[17] defeated his challengers, among them: John J. Droney, the Middlesex County District Attorney.[18]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John J. Droney | 215,523 | 45.05 | |
| Democratic | Gerald O'Leary | 169,876 | 35.51 | |
| Democratic | John P. Lynch | 92,979 | 19.43 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Edward Brooke (Incumbent) | 1,505,932 | 63.53 | |
| Democratic | John J. Droney | 823,278 | 34.73 | |
| Socialist Workers | Donald Gurewitz | 41,369 | 1.75 | |
| None | Scattering | 97 | 0.00 | |
| Majority | 682,654 | 28.80 | ||
| Turnout | 2,370,676 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Michigan
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County Results Griffin: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Kelley: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Republican Robert P. Griffin was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Robert P. Griffin (Incumbent) | 1,781,065 | 52.28 | |
| Democratic | Frank J. Kelley | 1,577,178 | 46.29 | |
| American Independent | Patrick Dillinger | 23,121 | 0.68 | |
| Human Rights | Barbara Halpert | 19,118 | 0.56 | |
| Socialist Workers | Linda Nordquist | 2,389 | 0.07 | |
| Socialist Labor | James Sim | 2,217 | 0.06 | |
| Communist | Thomas D. Dennis Jr. | 1,908 | 0.06 | |
| Majority | 203,887 | 5.99 | ||
| Turnout | 3,406,906 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Minnesota
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Mondale: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Hansen: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Democrat Walter Mondale, who was originally appointed in 1964 (to fill the vacancy created when Hubert Humphrey was elected to the office of Vice President) and elected to a full term in 1966, defeated Republican challenger Phil Hansen.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Walter F. Mondale (Incumbent) | 230,679 | 89.88 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Tom Griffin | 11,266 | 4.39 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Richard "Dick" Leaf | 7,750 | 3.02 | |
| Democratic (DFL) | Ralph E. Franklin | 6,946 | 2.71 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Phil Hansen | 165,093 | 100.00 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Walter F. Mondale (Incumbent) | 981,320 | 56.67 | |
| Republican | Phil Hansen | 742,121 | 42.86 | |
| Industrial Government | Karl H. Heck | 8,192 | 0.47 | |
| Majority | 239,199 | 13.81 | ||
| Turnout | 1,731,633 | |||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Mississippi
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Eastland: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% Carmichael: 40-50% 50-60% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Democrat James Eastland was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Eastland (Incumbent) | 375,102 | 58.09 | |
| Republican | Gil Carmichael | 249,779 | 38.68 | |
| Independent | Prentiss Walker | 14,662 | 2.27 | |
| Independent | C. L. McKinley | 6,203 | 0.96 | |
| Majority | 126,323 | 19.41 | ||
| Turnout | 645,746 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Montana
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Metcalf: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Hibbard: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Democrat Lee Metcalf, who was first elected to the Senate in 1960 and was re-elected in 1966, ran for re-election. After winning the Democratic primary, he moved on to the general election, where he faced Hank Hibbard, a State senator and the Republican nominee. Following a close campaign, Metcalf managed to narrowly win re-election to his third term in the Senate over Hibbard.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lee Metcalf (Incumbent) | 106,491 | 86.42 | |
| Democratic | Jerome Peters | 16,729 | 13.58 | |
| Total votes | 123,220 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Hank Hibbard State senator | 43,028 | 49.70 | |
| Republican | Harold E. Wallace | 26,463 | 30.57 | |
| Republican | Norman C. Wheeler | 13,826 | 15.97 | |
| Republican | Merrill K. Riddick | 3,259 | 3.76 | |
| Total votes | 86,576 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lee Metcalf (Incumbent) | 163,609 | 51.95 | −1.22% | |
| Republican | Hank Hibbard | 151,316 | 48.05 | +1.22% | |
| Majority | 12,293 | 3.90 | −2.43% | ||
| Turnout | 314,925 | ||||
| Democratic hold | |||||
Nebraska
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Curtis: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Carpenter: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Republican Carl Curtis won re-election over former congressman Terry Carpenter.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Carl Curtis (Incumbent) | 301,841 | 53.16 | −7.88% | |
| Democratic | Terry Carpenter | 265,922 | 46.84 | +8.09% | |
| Majority | 35,919 | 6.33 | −15.97% | ||
| Turnout | 567,763 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
New Hampshire
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
McIntyre: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 90-100% Powell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90-100% No Data/Vote: | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Democratic Senator Thomas J. McIntyre was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Thomas J. McIntyre (Incumbent) | 184,495 | 56.88 | |
| Republican | Wesley Powell | 139,852 | 43.12 | |
| None | Scattering | 7 | 0.00 | |
| Majority | 44,643 | 13.76 | ||
| Turnout | 324,354 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
New Jersey
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Case: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Republican Clifford P. Case was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Clifford P. Case (Incumbent) | 1,743,854 | 62.46 | |
| Democratic | Paul J. Krebs | 963,753 | 34.52 | |
| American | A. Howard Freund | 40,980 | 1.47 | |
| Concerned Voter's Voice | Charles W. Wiley | 33,442 | 1.20 | |
| Socialist Labor | Julius Levin | 10,058 | 0.36 | |
| Majority | 780,101 | 27.94 | ||
| Turnout | 2,792,087 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
New Mexico
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Domenici: 50–60% 60–70% Daniels: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Clinton Presba Anderson retired, and was succeeded by Republican Pete Domenici.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Pete Domenici | 204,253 | 54.03 | |
| Democratic | Jack Daniels | 173,815 | 45.97 | |
| Majority | 30,438 | 8.06 | ||
| Turnout | 378,068 | |||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
North Carolina
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Helms: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Galifianakis: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Democratic senator B. Everett Jordan was defeated in the primary by Nick Galifianakis. Galifianakis went on to lose the election to Jesse Helms, making Helms the first Republican Senator from the state in the 20th century.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nick Galifianakis | 377,993 | 49.25% | |
| Democratic | B. Everett Jordan (incumbent) | 340,391 | 44.35% | |
| Democratic | J. R. Brown | 27,009 | 3.52% | |
| Democratic | Eugene Grace | 22,156 | 2.89% | |
| Total votes | 767,549 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nick Galifianakis | 338,558 | 55.82% | 6.57
| |
| Democratic | B. Everett Jordan (incumbent) | 267,997 | 44.18% | 0.17
| |
| Total votes | 606,555 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jesse Helms | 92,496 | 60.13% | |
| Republican | James Johnson | 45,303 | 29.45% | |
| Republican | William Booe | 16,032 | 10.42% | |
| Total votes | 153,831 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jesse Helms | 795,248 | 54.01 | |
| Democratic | Nick Galifianakis | 677,293 | 45.99 | |
| Majority | 117,955 | 8.02 | ||
| Turnout | 1,472,541 | |||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Oklahoma
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Bartlett: 50–60% 60–70% Edmondson: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Democratic Senator Fred R. Harris retired, and was succeeded by Republican Dewey F. Bartlett.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dewey F. Bartlett | 516,934 | 51.43 | |
| Democratic | Ed Edmondson | 478,212 | 47.58 | |
| American | William G. Roach | 5,769 | 0.57 | |
| Independent | Joe C. Phillips | 2,264 | 0.23 | |
| Independent | Paul E. Trent | 1,969 | 0.20 | |
| Majority | 38,722 | 3.85 | ||
| Turnout | 1,005,148 | |||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
Oregon
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Hatfield: 50-60% 60-70% Morse: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Republican Mark Hatfield was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mark Hatfield (Incumbent) | 494,671 | 53.72 | |
| Democratic | Wayne Morse | 425,036 | 46.16 | |
| None | Write-Ins | 1,126 | 0.12 | |
| Majority | 69,635 | 7.56 | ||
| Turnout | 920,833 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Rhode Island
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Pell: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Chafee: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Democratic Senator Claiborne Pell was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Claiborne Pell (Incumbent) | 221,942 | 53.68 | |
| Republican | John Chafee | 188,990 | 45.71 | |
| Independent | John Quattrocchi | 2,041 | 0.49 | |
| Socialist Workers | Patrick M. DeTemple | 458 | 0.11 | |
| Majority | 32,952 | 7.97 | ||
| Turnout | 413,431 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
South Carolina
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results
Thurmond: 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% Zeigler: 50-59% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Republican Strom Thurmond was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Strom Thurmond (Incumbent) | 415,806 | 63.29 | |
| Democratic | Eugene N. Zeigler | 241,056 | 36.69 | |
| None | Write-Ins | 172 | 0.03 | |
| Majority | 174,750 | 27.60 | ||
| Turnout | 657,034 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
South Dakota
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Abourezk: 50–60% 60–70% 80–90% Hirsch: 50–60% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Republican Karl E. Mundt retired, and was succeeded by James Abourezk.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Abourezk | 174,773 | 57.04 | |
| Republican | Robert W. Hirsch | 131,613 | 42.96 | |
| Majority | 43,160 | 14.08 | ||
| Turnout | 306,386 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Tennessee
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Baker: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Blanton: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
One-term Republican Howard Baker was re-elected. He defeated Democrat Ray Blanton.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Howard Baker (Incumbent) | 716,539 | 61.55 | +5.85% | |
| Democratic | Ray Blanton | 440,599 | 37.85 | +6.46% | |
| Independent | Dan East | 7,026 | 0.60 | n/a | |
| None | Write-Ins | 31 | 0.00 | n/a | |
| Majority | 275,940 | 23.70 | +12.30% | ||
| Turnout | 1,164,195 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
Texas
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Tower: 40–50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 70–80% 80–90% Amaya: 40–30% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Republican John Tower was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Tower (Incumbent) | 1,822,877 | 53.40 | |
| Democratic | Barefoot Sanders | 1,511,985 | 44.29 | |
| Raza Unida | Flores N. Amaya | 63,543 | 1.86 | |
| Socialist Workers | Tom Leonard | 14,464 | 0.42 | |
| Write-in | Write-Ins | 1,034 | 0.03 | |
| Majority | 310,892 | 9.11 | ||
| Turnout | 3,413,903 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Vermont (special)
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Stafford: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The special election was held January 7, 1972. Incumbent Republican Robert Stafford, appointed in September 1971 to fill the vacancy created by the death of Winston L. Prouty, successfully ran for re-election to the remainder of Prouty's term. Stafford defeated Democratic candidate Randolph T. Major. Bernie Sanders, the Liberty Union candidate,[26] was later elected to this seat in 2006, serving as an Independent.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Robert Stafford (Incumbent) | 45,888 | 64.36 | |
| Democratic | Randolph T. Major | 23,842 | 33.44 | |
| Liberty Union | Bernie Sanders | 1,571 | 2.20 | |
| Majority | 22,046 | |||
| Turnout | 71,301 | 30.92 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Virginia
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 44.7%[27] | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||
 County and independent city results Scott: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Spong: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Democratic senator William B. Spong Jr. was defeated by Republican William L. Scott, making Scott the first Republican Senator from the state since John F. Lewis in 1870.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William L. Scott | 718,337 | 51.45 | |
| Democratic | William B. Spong Jr. (Incumbent) | 643,963 | 46.12 | |
| Independent | Horace E. Henderson | 33,912 | 2.43 | |
| None | Scattering | 56 | 0.00 | |
| Majority | 74,374 | 5.33 | ||
| Turnout | 1,396,268 | |||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||
West Virginia
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Randolph: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Leonard: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The incumbent Democratic Senator Jennings Randolph was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jennings Randolph (Incumbent) | 486,310 | 66.45 | |
| Republican | Louise Leonard | 245,531 | 33.55 | |
| Majority | 240,779 | 32.90 | ||
| Turnout | 731,841 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Wyoming
edit | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Hansen: 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Republican Clifford Hansen was re-elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Clifford Hansen (Incumbent) | 101,314 | 71.31 | |
| Democratic | Mike Vinch | 40,753 | 28.69 | |
| Majority | 60,561 | 42.62 | ||
| Turnout | 142,067 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Senator Strom Thurmond was originally elected as a Democrat in 1954, but as a write-in candidate, a special election in 1956 and 1960 before switching to a Republican in 1964. Thurmond won re-election as a Republican in 1966.
- ^ Georgia was the "tipping-point state".
References
edit- ^ Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (VA), was an Independent who caucused with the Democrats. In some circles, he is called an "Independent Democrat", but his actual registration was listed as "Independent". See, e. g., United States Congress. "Harry Flood Byrd, Jr. (id: B001209)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ^ a b "General Election Results - U.S. Senator - 1914-2014" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
- ^ a b "GA US Senate - Special Election" – via OurCampaigns.com.
- ^ Hathorn, Billy (1994). A Dozen Years in the Political Wilderness: The Alabama Republican Party, 1966–1978. Gulf Coast Historical Review, Vol. 9, No. 2. pp. 33–34.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972" (PDF). United States Government Printing Office. Retrieved April 4, 2015 – via Clerk.house.gov.
- ^ a b c d Moritz, Charles, ed. (1987). Current Biography Yearbook 1987. New York: H. W. Wilson Company., p. 43.
- ^ Broder, John M. (October 23, 2008). "Father's Tough Life an Inspiration for Biden". The New York Times. Retrieved October 24, 2008.
- ^ a b c Naylor, Brian (October 8, 2007). "Biden's Road to Senate Took Tragic Turn". NPR. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
- ^ Barone, Michael; Cohen, Richard E. (2008). The Almanac of American Politics. Washington: National Journal Group. ISBN 978-0-89234-117-7., p. 364.
- ^ "Youngest Senator". United States Senate Historical Office – via senate.gov.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - GA US Senate - D Runoff Race - Aug 29, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ a b Black, Earl; Black, Merle (June 30, 2009). The Rise of Southern Republicans. Harvard University Press. pp. 120–122. ISBN 9780674020986.
- ^ Hemphill, John (November 8, 1972). "Nunn, a Conservative Democrat, Defeats Rep. Thompson in Georgia Contest for Senate Seat". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - GA US Senate - Special Election Race - Nov 07, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - GA US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - ME US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ Edward Brooke at ourcampaigns.com
- ^ John Droney at ourcampaigns.com
- ^ Massachusetts race details at ourcampaigns.com
- ^ a b "Minnesota Legislative Manual: Primary Election Returns September 12, 1972" (PDF). Minnesota Legislature. 1973–1974. pp. 510 & 511.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MN US Senate- D Primary Race - Sep 12, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MN US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MS US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ a b "Report of the Official Canvass of the Vote Cast at the Primary Election Held in the State of Montana and of the Vote Cast at the Separate Election for Ratification or Rejection of the Proposed Constitution, June 6, 1972" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ Cook, Rhodes (October 26, 2017). America Votes 32: 2015–2016, Election Returns by State. ISBN 9781506368993.
- ^ McCullum, April (May 21, 2015). "McKibben to speak at Sanders kickoff". USA Today. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
External links
edit- Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972" (PDF). United States Government Printing Office. Retrieved April 4, 2015 – via Clerk.house.gov.