1972 United States Senate election in Arkansas

1972 United States Senate election in Arkansas

← 1966 November 7, 1972 1978 →

Nominee John L. McClellan Wayne Babbitt Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 386,398 248,238 Percentage 60.9% 39.1%

County results McClellan:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Babbitt:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election John L. McClellan Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John L. McClellan Democratic

Elections in Arkansas
Federal government Presidential elections 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Presidential primaries Democratic 2008 2012 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 U.S. Senate elections 1924 1930 1932 1936 1937 1938 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 U.S. House elections 1920 1921 6th sp 1922 1923 6th sp 1924 1926 1928 1930 4th sp 1932 1933 5th sp 1934 1936 1938 1939 4th sp 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1961 6th sp 1962 1964 1966 4th sp 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2001 3rd sp 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
State government Gubernatorial elections 1862 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1910 1912 1913 1914 1916 1918 1922 1926 1930 1932 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 State elections 2006 2010 2014 2018 2020 2022 State Senate elections 2020 2022
Ballot measures 2004 Constitutional Amendment 3 2008 Proposed Initiative Act No. 1 2012 Issue 1 2018
Little Rock Mayoral elections 1994 2018
v t

The 1972 United States Senate election in Arkansas took place on November 7, 1972. Incumbent U.S. Senator John L. McClellan was re-elected to a sixth term in office, defeating U.S. Representative David Pryor in a hotly contested primary. In the general election, McClellan easily defeated Republican physician Wayne Babbitt. This was McClellan's final campaign; he died in his sleep in 1977. Pryor was elected Governor of Arkansas in 1974 and won the race to succeed McClellan in 1978.

Democratic primary[]

Candidates[]

• Ted Boswell
• Foster Johnson
• David Pryor, U.S. Representative from Camden
• John L. McClellan, incumbent Senator

Results[]

Run-off results[]

Since no candidate received a majority in the initial primary, a run-off election was held on June 13 between McClellan and Pryor.

General election[]

Results[]

General election results^[3][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John L. McClellan (inc.)	386,398	60.89%	39.11
	Republican	Wayne H. Babbitt	248,238	39.12%	N/A
Total votes			634,636	0.02%

See also[]

1972 United States Senate elections

References[]