1972 United States gubernatorial elections

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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 Increase1 Decrease1
Seats up 10 8
Seats won 11 7
1972 Arkansas gubernatorial election1972 Iowa gubernatorial election1972 Kansas gubernatorial election1972 South Dakota gubernatorial election1972 Texas gubernatorial election1972 Illinois gubernatorial election1972 Rhode Island gubernatorial election1972 Delaware gubernatorial election1972 Indiana gubernatorial election1972 Missouri gubernatorial election1972 Montana gubernatorial election1972 New Hampshire gubernatorial election1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election1972 North Dakota gubernatorial election1972 Utah gubernatorial election1972 Vermont gubernatorial election1972 Washington gubernatorial election1972 West Virginia gubernatorial election1972 United States gubernatorial elections results map.svg
About this image
  Republican hold
  Republican gain
  Democratic hold
  Democratic gain

United States gubernatorial elections were held 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).

Arkansas[]

In Arkansas, Dale Bumpers was re-elected to another two-year term in a landslide. Arkansas had two-year terms for governors until 1984, when the state switched to four-year terms for governors with Amendment 63.[1]

Delaware and Illinois[]

In Delaware and Illinois, Republicans Russell W. Peterson and Richard B. Ogilvie were defeated by Democrats Sherman Willard Tribbitt and Dan Walker, respectively.

Indiana[]

Indiana changed the rules so that governors could serve two back-to-back four-year terms in 1972, but the amendment didn't take place until November 1972.[2] This ruling in effect said that Edgar Whitcomb was not eligible for another term.

Iowa[]

In Iowa, Republican incumbent governor Robert D. Ray won a third two-year term, defeating Democratic challenger Paul Franzenburg, whom Ray had defeated for governor four years earlier. This was the last gubernatorial election in Iowa where the winner served a two-year term; starting with the 1974 election, governors would serve a four-year term.

Kansas[]

In Kansas, incumbent governor Robert Docking won a fourth two-year term. Beginning with the 1974 election, governors in Kansas would serve a four-year term.

Missouri[]

In Missouri, during Governor Warren Hearnes' term, the rules were changed so that governors were allowed two back-to-back four-year terms.[3] By the 1972 race, Hearnes had served two terms and was term-limited.

Montana[]

In Montana, a new state constitution in 1972 allowed unlimited four-year terms for a governor.[4] Anderson did not run for another term because of health issues, and this bad health was considered the motive behind his suicide in 1989.[5]

North Carolina[]

In North Carolina, governors weren't allowed two consecutive terms in a row until 1977, thus term-limiting Scott.[6]

Rhode Island[]

In Rhode Island, governors served two-year terms until 1994, when the state switched to four-year terms for governors.[7]

Texas[]

In Texas, the defeat of Smith has been considered a casualty of the Sharpstown Scandal.[8] Texas also had a system of governors serving two-year terms until 1974, when the state switched to four-year terms.[9]

Results[]

State Incumbent Party Status Opposing candidates
Arkansas[10] Dale Bumpers Democratic Re-elected, 75.44% (Republican) 24.56%
Delaware[11] Russell W. Peterson Republican Defeated, 47.91% Sherman W. Tribbitt (Democratic) 51.27%
Virginia M. Lyndall (American) 0.64%
Harry H. Conner (Prohibition) 0.17%
Illinois[12] Richard B. Ogilvie Republican Defeated, 49.02% Dan Walker (Democratic) 50.68%
George LaForest (Socialist Labor) 0.17%
Ishmael Flory (Communist) 0.10%
Write in 0.03%
Indiana[13] Edgar Whitcomb Republican Term-limited, Republican victory 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[14] Robert D. Ray Republican Re-elected, 58.43% Paul Franzenburg (Democratic) 40.26%
(American Independent) 1.30%
Kansas[15] Robert Docking Democratic Re-elected, 61.99% Morris Kay (Republican) 37.05%
(Prohibition) 0.96%
Missouri[16] Warren E. Hearnes Democratic Term-limited, Republican victory Kit Bond (Republican) 55.18%
(Democrat) 44.64%
Paul J. Leonard (Nonpartisan) 0.19%
Montana[17] Forrest H. Anderson Democratic Retired, Democratic victory Thomas Lee Judge (Democratic) 54.12%
Ed Smith (Republican) 45.88%
New Hampshire[18] Walter R. Peterson Jr. Republican Defeated in primary,[19] Republican victory Meldrim Thomson Jr. (Republican) 41.38%
(Democratic) 39.03%
Malcolm McLane (Independent) 19.56%
Scattering 0.03%
North Carolina[20] Robert W. Scott Democratic Term-limited, Republican victory James Holshouser (Republican) 51%
Skipper Bowles (Democratic) 48.45%
Arlis F. Pettyjohn (American) 0.55%
North Dakota[21] William L. Guy Democratic-NPL Retired, Democratic-NPL victory Arthur A. Link (Democratic-NPL) 51.04%
Richard F. Larsen (Republican) 48.96%
Rhode Island[22] Frank Licht Democratic Retired, Democratic victory Philip Noel (Democratic) 52.55%
Herbert F. DeSimone (Republican) 47.07%
Adam J. Varone (Independent) 0.39%
South Dakota[23] Richard F. Kneip Democratic Re-elected, 60.03% Carveth Thompson (Republican) 39.97%
Texas[24] Preston Smith Democratic Defeated in primary,[25] Democratic victory 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[26] Cal Rampton Democratic Re-elected, 69.68% (Republican) 30.32%
Vermont[27] Deane C. Davis Republican Retired, Democratic victory Thomas P. Salmon (Democratic) 55.24%
(Republican) 43.59%
Bernie Sanders (Liberty Union) 1.15%
Scattering 0.02%
Washington[28] Daniel J. Evans Republican Re-elected, 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[29] Arch A. Moore Jr. Republican Re-elected, 54.74% Jay Rockefeller (Democratic) 45.26%

See also[]

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

References[]

  1. ^ "Office of the Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  2. ^ "Article 5. Executive". Archived from the original on 10 March 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  3. ^ "Missouri Governor Warren E. Hearnes". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  4. ^ "Government". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  5. ^ AP (23 July 1989). "Forrest Anderson, Ex-Governor Of Montana, Kills Himself at 76". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  6. ^ "North Carolina State and Local Government at a Glance" (PDF). Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  7. ^ Pengjie Gao and Yaxuan Qi. "Political Uncertainty and Public Financing Costs: Evidence from U.S. Municipal Bond Markets" (PDF). p. 8. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  8. ^ "Modern Texas Part 1, 1949–1973". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  9. ^ "Modern Texas Part 2, 1973–1991". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  10. ^ "AR Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  11. ^ "DE Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  12. ^ "IL Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  13. ^ "IN Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  14. ^ "IA Governor". Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  15. ^ "KS Governor". Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  16. ^ "MO Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  17. ^ "MT Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  18. ^ "NH Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  19. ^ "NH Governor – R Primary". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  20. ^ "NC Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  21. ^ "ND Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  22. ^ "RI Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  23. ^ "SD Governor". Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  24. ^ "TX Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  25. ^ "TX Governor – D Primary". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  26. ^ "UT Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  27. ^ "VT Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  28. ^ "WA Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  29. ^ "WV Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
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