1972 Iowa Senate election

The 1972 Iowa State Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 1972 United States elections. Iowa voters elected state senators in all of the state senate's 50 districts—the 25 even-numbered seats were up for regularly-scheduled four-year terms and, due to the oddities of redistricting following the 1970 Census, the 25 odd-numbered seats were up for shortened two-year terms. State senators typically serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate, with half of the seats traditionally up for election each cycle. The decennial census and redistricting process causes one cycle each decade to be disrupted.

1972 Iowa Senate election
November 7, 1972
50 out of 50 seats in the Iowa State Senate
26 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Clifton C. Lamborn Lee H. Gaudineer
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat 12th 32nd
(retired)
Last election 38 12
Seats before 37 13[lower-alpha 1]
Seats after 28 22
Seat change 9 9
Majority Leader before election

Clifton C. Lamborn
Republican

 Elected Majority Leader

Clifton C. Lamborn
Republican

Elections in Iowa

The Iowa General Assembly provides statewide maps of each district. To compare the effect of the 1971 redistricting process on the location of each district, contrast the previous map with the map used for 1972 elections.

The primary election on June 6, 1972 determined which candidates appeared on the November 7, 1972 general election ballot. The Iowa Secretary of State only provides the names of candidates who ran in the 1972 primaries and does not report vote tallies. The primary candidates' names can be obtained here.[2] General election results can be obtained here.[3]

Following the previous election, Republicans had control of the Iowa state Senate with 38 seats to Democrats' 12 seats. In March 1971, a special election in district 11 resulted in G. William "Bill" Gross flipping a seat in favor of the Democrats. Therefore, on election day in November 1972, Republicans controlled 37 seats and Democrats had 13.

To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net 13 Senate seats.

Republicans maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the 1972 general election with the balance of power shifting to Republicans holding 28 seats and Democrats having 22 seats (a net gain of 9 seats for the Democrats).

Summary of Results
  • NOTE: The 25 even-numbered districts were up for four-year terms and the 25 odd-numbered districts were up for two-year terms due to the 1971 redistricting process.
  • Also note, an asterisk (*) after a Senator's name indicates they were an incumbent re-elected, but to a new district number due to redistricting.
State Senate District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
1st Lucas DeKoster Rep Lucas DeKoster Republican
2nd Marvin Wesley Smith Rep Irvin L. Bergman Republican
3rd Wayne Dalton Keith Rep Warren E. Curtis Republican
4th Herbert Luther Ollenburg Rep Berl Priebe Democratic
5th Vernon Kyhl Rep Ray Taylor Republican
6th George L. Shawver Rep Kenneth D. Scott Democratic
7th Floyd Arthur Gilley Rep Ralph Farnham McCartney Republican
8th S. J. Brownlee Rep Hilarius Louis Heying Democratic
9th Leigh Raymond Curran Rep Dale L. Tieden Republican
10th Ralph Wilson Potter Rep Mike Blouin Democratic
11th George William Gross Dem Gene Kennedy*[lower-alpha 2] Democratic
12th Alden J. Erskine Rep Clifton C. Lamborn*[lower-alpha 3] Republican
13th John Wesley Graham Rep Tom Riley*[lower-alpha 4] Republican
14th Arthur Neu Rep Cloyd E. Robinson*[lower-alpha 5] Democratic
15th C. Joseph Coleman Dem Ralph Wilson Potter*[lower-alpha 6] Republican
16th James A. Potgeter Rep James V. Gallagher Democratic
17th Rudy Van Drie Rep Barton L. Schwieger Republican
18th John L. Mowry Rep Bill Hansen Republican
19th Francis Messerly[lower-alpha 7] Rep Vernon Kyhl*[lower-alpha 8] Republican
20th Willa Charlene Conklin Rep Elizabeth Ruby Miller Republican
21st Charles Balloun Rep John S. Murray Republican
22nd Cloyd E. Robinson Dem Jack Nystrom Republican
23rd Tom Riley Rep C. Joseph Coleman*[lower-alpha 9] Democratic
24th Clifton C. Lamborn Rep William P. Winkelman Republican
25th John M. Walsh Rep E. Kevin Kelly Republican
26th Gene Kennedy Dem Leonard C. Andersen Republican
27th James Schaben Dem James Schaben Democratic
28th R. Dean Arbuckle Rep Karl Nolin Democratic
29th Reinhold O. Carlson Rep Norman Rodgers Democratic
30th William D. Palmer Dem William N. Plymat Republican
31st George F. Milligan Rep Earl Willits Democratic
32nd Lee H. Gaudineer Dem William D. Palmer*[lower-alpha 10] Democratic
33rd John E. Tapscott Dem George F. Milligan*[lower-alpha 11] Republican
34th Eugene Marshall Hill Dem George Kinley Democratic
35th Minnette Doderer Dem Eugene Marshall Hill*[lower-alpha 12] Democratic
36th William R. Rabedeaux Rep Joan Yessler Orr Democratic
37th Roger John Shaff Rep Minnette Doderer*[lower-alpha 13] Democratic
38th Edward E. Nicholson Rep William R. Rabedeaux*[lower-alpha 14] Republican
39th Harold A. Thordsen Rep Roger John Shaff*[lower-alpha 15] Republican
40th James W. Griffin Rep Elizabeth Orr Shaw Republican
41st Earl G. Bass[lower-alpha 16] Rep Bill Gluba Democratic
42nd James E. Briles Rep Charles Peter Miller*[lower-alpha 17] Democratic
43rd John C. Rhodes Rep Lowell Junkins Democratic
44th Bass Van Gilst Dem Forrest Schwengels Republican
45th Richard Lytle Stephens[lower-alpha 18] Rep Gene W. Glenn*[lower-alpha 19] Democratic
46th Charles Peter Miller Dem Bass Van Gilst*[lower-alpha 20] Democratic
47th Charles O. Laverty Rep Richard Ramsey[lower-alpha 21] Republican
48th Quentin V. Anderson Rep James E. Briles*[lower-alpha 22] Republican
49th Gene W. Glenn Dem Calvin Hultman Republican
50th Wilson Lloyd Davis Rep James W. Griffin*[lower-alpha 23] Republican

Source:[4]

Detailed Results
  • Reminder: All even-numbered Iowa Senate seats were up for four-year terms and all odd-numbered seats were up for two-year terms in 1972 due to the oddities caused by redistricting.

District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40 • District 41 • District 42 • District 43 • District 44 • District 45 • District 46 • District 47 • District 48 • District 49 • District 50

  • Note: The Iowa Secretary of State only lists the names of 1972 primary candidates, instead of actual election results. Only general election vote tallies are provided.

District 1
Iowa Senate, District 1 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lucas DeKoster (incumbent) 17,128 70.6
Democratic Harry G. Kobes 7,129 29.4
Total votes 24,257 100.0
Republican hold

District 2
Iowa Senate, District 2 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Irvin L. Bergman 13,566 59.1
Democratic H. Kenneth Nurse 9,405 40.9
Total votes 22,971 100.0
Republican hold

District 3
Iowa Senate, District 3 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Warren E. Curtis 13,281 57.8
Democratic Elwood Lund 9,700 42.2
Total votes 22,981 100.0
Republican hold

District 4
Iowa Senate, District 4 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Berl Priebe 14,008 56.2
Republican Wayne D. Keith (incumbent)[lower-alpha 24] 10,939 43.8
Total votes 24,947 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 5
Iowa Senate, District 5 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ray Taylor 13,091 58.1
Democratic Rocky LaValle 9,445 41.9
Total votes 22,536 100.0
Republican hold

District 6
Iowa Senate, District 6 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kenneth D. Scott 13,303 52.9
Republican Leigh R. Curran (incumbent)[lower-alpha 25] 11,834 47.1
Total votes 25,137 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 7
Iowa Senate, District 7 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph F. McCartney 14,073 59.6
Democratic Orley J. Mayfield 9,531 40.4
Total votes 23,604 100.0
Republican hold

District 8
Iowa Senate, District 8 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic H. L. Heying 12,363 49.9
Republican George L. Shawver (incumbent)[lower-alpha 26] 11,995 48.5
Independent Kenneth V. Fink 395 1.6
Total votes 24,753 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 9
Iowa Senate, District 9 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dale L. Tieden 13,529 61.7
Democratic George Leonard 8,393 38.3
Total votes 21,922 100.0
Republican hold

District 10
Iowa Senate, District 10 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael T. Blouin 12,500 53.8
Republican John M. Walsh (incumbent)[lower-alpha 27] 10,753 46.2
Total votes 23,253 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 11
Iowa Senate, District 11 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene V. Kennedy (incumbent)[lower-alpha 2] 11,358 53.4
Republican Raymond J. Taylor 9,909 46.6
Total votes 21,267 100.0
Democratic hold

District 12
Iowa Senate, District 12 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Clifton C. Lamborn (incumbent)[lower-alpha 3] 13,025 61.1
Democratic Barbara Marland 8,278 38.9
Total votes 21,303 100.0
Republican hold

District 13
Iowa Senate, District 13 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Riley (incumbent)[lower-alpha 4] 14,334 59.5
Democratic John M. Ely, Jr. 9,747 40.5
Total votes 24,081 100.0
Republican hold

District 14
Iowa Senate, District 14 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cloyd E. Robinson (incumbent)[lower-alpha 5] 11,827 54.3
Republican Gay Dahn 9,939 45.7
Total votes 21,766 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 15
Iowa Senate, District 15 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph W. Potter (incumbent)[lower-alpha 6] 13,307 58.8
Democratic Bernard Beuter 9,308 41.2
Total votes 22,615 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 16
Iowa Senate, District 16 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James Gallagher 10,827 53.4
Republican Fred Cherry 9,437 46.6
Total votes 20,264 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 17
Iowa Senate, District 17 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Barton L. Schwieger 13,045 57.7
Democratic Stephen M. Peterson 9,570 42.3
Total votes 22,615 100.0
Republican hold

District 18
Iowa Senate, District 18 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Willard R. "Bill" Hansen 13,419 58.0
Democratic Charles J. Uban 9,726 42.0
Total votes 23,145 100.0
Republican hold

District 19
Iowa Senate, District 19 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Vernon H. Kyhl (incumbent)[lower-alpha 8] 15,917 69.2
Democratic William Hamm 6,960 30.2
Independent Robert Lauer 133 0.6
Total votes 23,010 100.0
Republican hold

District 20
Iowa Senate, District 20 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elizabeth R. Miller 13,879 61.1
Democratic Robert E. Rider 8,847 38.9
Total votes 22,726 100.0
Republican hold

District 21
Iowa Senate, District 21 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John S. Murray 13,841 52.0
Democratic Barbara A. Koerber 12,787 48.0
Total votes 26,628 100.0
Republican hold

District 22
Iowa Senate, District 22 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John N. "Jack" Nystrom 13,658 59.0
Democratic George E. Uthe 9,510 41.0
Total votes 23,168 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 23
Iowa Senate, District 23 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic C. Joseph Coleman (incumbent)[lower-alpha 9] 13,587 60.1
Republican William H. Goodrich 9,026 39.9
Total votes 22,613 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 24
Iowa Senate, District 24 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William P. Winkelman 10,386 62.1
Democratic W. E. Conard 6,328 37.9
Total votes 16,714 100.0
Republican hold

District 25
Iowa Senate, District 25 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican E. Kevin Kelly 12,487 56.3
Democratic Vincent S. Burke 9,711 43.7
Total votes 22,198 100.0
Republican hold

District 26
Iowa Senate, District 26 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Leonard C. Andersen 10,556 50.8
Democratic William Gross (incumbent)[lower-alpha 28] 10,207 49.2
Total votes 20,763 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 27
Iowa Senate, District 27 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James F. Schaben (incumbent) 13,724 60.3
Republican Jewell Waugh 9,022 39.7
Total votes 22,746 100.0
Democratic hold

District 28
Iowa Senate, District 28 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Karl Nolin 12,248 54.4
Republican R. Dean Arbuckle (incumbent) 10,257 45.6
Total votes 22,505 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 29
Iowa Senate, District 29 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Norman G. Rodgers 13,718 54.9
Republican Gene Summerson 11,281 45.1
Total votes 24,999 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 30
Iowa Senate, District 30 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William N. Plymat 14,616 52.4
Democratic Charles H. Day 13,260 47.6
Total votes 27,876 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 31
Iowa Senate, District 31 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Earl M. Willits 13,577 59.3
Republican Charles W. Vanderlinden, Jr. 9,306 40.7
Total votes 22,883 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 32
Iowa Senate, District 32 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William D. Palmer (incumbent)[lower-alpha 10] 15,791 74.7
Republican James E. Blaney 5,336 25.3
Total votes 21,127 100.0
Democratic hold

District 33
Iowa Senate, District 33 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George F. Milligan (incumbent)[lower-alpha 11] 16,733 60.5
Democratic Kenneth Larson 10,912 39.5
Total votes 27,645 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 34
Iowa Senate, District 34 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George R. Kinley 14,056 68.4
Republican Joseph S. Kelly 6,494 31.6
Total votes 20,550 100.0
Democratic hold

District 35
Iowa Senate, District 35 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Eugene M. Hill (incumbent)[lower-alpha 12] 13,011 51.6
Republican Gerrit Van Roekel 11,760 46.6
American Independent Lorin Oxley 447 1.8
Total votes 25,218 100.0
Democratic hold

District 36
Iowa Senate, District 36 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joan Orr 12,471 54.7
Republican Charles F. Balloun (incumbent)[lower-alpha 29] 10,309 45.3
Total votes 22,780 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 37
Iowa Senate, District 37 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Minnette Doderer (incumbent)[lower-alpha 13] 18,584 65.1
Republican Marion R. Neely 9,964 34.9
Total votes 28,548 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 38
Iowa Senate, District 38 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican W. R. Rabedeaux (incumbent)[lower-alpha 14] 12,111 60.0
Democratic Eleanor Anstey 8,089 40.0
Total votes 20,200 100.0
Republican hold

District 39
Iowa Senate, District 39 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger J. Shaff (incumbent)[lower-alpha 15] 12,537 56.6
Democratic Donald R. Arenz 9,609 43.4
Total votes 22,146 100.0
Republican hold

District 40
Iowa Senate, District 40 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elizabeth Shaw 15,517 59.2
Democratic Bruce Q. Buerkens 9,953 38.0
Independent Frank L. Volante 734 2.8
Total votes 26,204 100.0
Republican hold

District 41
Iowa Senate, District 41 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William E. "Bill" Gluba 11,545 58.8
Republican Harold A. Thordsen (incumbent)[lower-alpha 30] 8,082 41.2
Total votes 19,627 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 42
Iowa Senate, District 42 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles P. Miller (incumbent)[lower-alpha 17] 12,046 53.6
Republican Dean O. Corey 10,422 46.4
Total votes 22,468 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 43
Iowa Senate, District 43 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lowell L. Junkins 11,467 50.1
Republican Wilson L. Davis (incumbent)[lower-alpha 31] 11,407 49.9
Total votes 22,874 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 44
Iowa Senate, District 44 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Forrest V. Schwengels 14,787 62.5
Democratic Norbert J. Flanders 8,885 37.5
Total votes 23,672 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 45
Iowa Senate, District 45 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene W. Glenn (incumbent)[lower-alpha 19] 14,956 61.9
Republican Arthur E. Minor 8,795 36.5
American Independent Eric Bremen 393 1.6
Total votes 24,144 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

District 46
Iowa Senate, District 46 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bass Van Gilst (incumbent)[lower-alpha 20] 13,162 54.0
Republican John C. Rhodes (incumbent)[lower-alpha 32] 11,230 46.0
Total votes 24,392 100.0
Democratic hold

District 47
Iowa Senate, District 47 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James B. Turner 13,177 52.3
Democratic Arlo Hullinger 12,000 47.7
Total votes 25,177 100.0
Republican hold
  • James Turner died and this necessitated a special election.
Iowa Senate, District 47 Special Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Ramsey 4,016 50.2
Democratic Arlo Hullinger 3,989 49.8
Total votes 8,005 100.0
Republican hold

District 48
Iowa Senate, District 48 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James E. Briles (incumbent)[lower-alpha 22] 16,905 69.5
Democratic Varel Dodge 7,404 30.5
Total votes 24,309 100.0
Republican hold

District 49
Iowa Senate, District 49 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Calvin O. Hultman 15,797 74.1
Democratic Jennie Lee Bonnichsen 5,523 25.9
Total votes 21,320 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

District 50
Iowa Senate, District 50 General Election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Griffin (incumbent)[lower-alpha 23] 10,171 61.2
Democratic John P. Ryan 6,453 38.8
Total votes 16,624 100.0
Republican hold
  1. Democrat George William "Bill" Gross won a special election in March 1971 to fill a vacancy in District 11 that had been held by Republican Charles K. Sullivan.[1]
  2. Redistricted from district 26 to 11.
  3. Redistricted from district 24 to 12.
  4. Redistricted from district 23 to 13.
  5. Redistricted from district 22 to 14.
  6. Redistricted from district 10 to 15.
  7. Messerly was redistricted to district 18, but lost the 18th district Republican primary to Bill Hansen.
  8. Redistricted from district 5 to 19.
  9. Redistricted from district 15 to 23.
  10. Redistricted from district 30 to 32.
  11. Redistricted from district 31 to 33.
  12. Redistricted from district 34 to 35.
  13. Redistricted from district 35 to 37.
  14. Redistricted from district 36 to 38.
  15. Redistricted from district 37 to 39.
  16. Bass was redistricted to district 49, but lost the 49th district Republican primary to Calvin Hultman.
  17. Redistricted from district 46 to 42.
  18. Stephens was redistricted to district 44, but lost the 44th district Republican primary to Forrest Schwengels.
  19. Redistricted from district 49 to 45.
  20. Redistricted from district 44 to 46.
  21. Republican James B. Turner was deceased and won the November general election in district 47. In a December special election, Richard Ramsey won to hold the seat for the Republican Party.
  22. Redistricted from district 42 to 48.
  23. Redistricted from district 40 to 50.
  24. Redistricted from district 3 to 4.
  25. Redistricted from district 9 to 6.
  26. Redistricted from district 6 to 8.
  27. Redistricted from district 25 to 10.
  28. Redistricted from district 11 to 26.
  29. Redistricted from district 21 to 36.
  30. Redistricted from district 39 to 41.
  31. Redistricted from district 50 to 43.
  32. Redistricted from district 43 to 46.
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gollark: Hmm, so it's not RDanny censoring my bismuthic forms but Discord itself.
gollark: :bismuth:

See also
  • United States elections, 1972
  • United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa, 1972
  • Elections in Iowa

References
  1. "Ex-mayor, senator loses cancer bout" (PDF). Iowa General Assembly. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  2. "Primary Election 1972 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  3. "General Election 1972 Canvass Summary" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  4. "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
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