1972 United States gubernatorial elections

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

1972 United States gubernatorial elections
November 7, 1972
20 governorships
18 states; 2 territories
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 30 governorships 20 governorships
Seats before 30 20
Seats after 31 19
Seat change 1 1
  Democratic holds
  Democratic pickups
  Republican holds
  Republican pickups

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
StateIncumbentPartyStatusOpposing candidates
Arkansas[10]Dale BumpersDemocraticRe-elected, 75.44%Len E. Blaylock (Republican) 24.56%
Delaware[11]Russell W. PetersonRepublicanDefeated, 47.91%Sherman W. Tribbitt (Democratic) 51.27%
Virginia M. Lyndall (American) 0.64%
Harry H. Conner (Prohibition) 0.17%
Illinois[12]Richard B. OgilvieRepublicanDefeated, 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 WhitcombRepublicanTerm-limited, Republican victoryOtis 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. RayRepublicanRe-elected, 58.43%Paul Franzenburg (Democratic) 40.26%
Robert Dilley (American Independent) 1.30%
Kansas[15]Robert DockingDemocraticRe-elected, 61.99%Morris Kay (Republican) 37.05%
Rolland Ernest Fisher (Prohibition) 0.96%
Missouri[16]Warren E. HearnesDemocraticTerm-limited, Republican victoryKit Bond (Republican) 55.18%
Edward L. Doud (Democrat) 44.64%
Paul J. Leonard (Nonpartisan) 0.19%
Montana[17]Forrest H. AndersonDemocraticRetired, Democratic victoryThomas Lee Judge (Democratic) 54.12%
Ed Smith (Republican) 45.88%
New Hampshire[18]Walter R. Peterson Jr.RepublicanDefeated in primary,[19] Republican victoryMeldrim Thomson Jr. (Republican) 41.38%
Roger J. Crowley (Democratic) 39.03%
Malcolm McLane (Independent) 19.56%
Scattering 0.03%
North Carolina[20]Robert W. ScottDemocraticTerm-limited, Republican victoryJames Holshouser (Republican) 51%
Skipper Bowles (Democratic) 48.45%
Arlis F. Pettyjohn (American) 0.55%
North Dakota[21]William L. GuyDemocratic-NPLRetired, Democratic-NPL victoryArthur A. Link (Democratic-NPL) 51.04%
Richard F. Larsen (Republican) 48.96%
Rhode Island[22]Frank LichtDemocraticRetired, Democratic victoryPhilip Noel (Democratic) 52.55%
Herbert F. DeSimone (Republican) 47.07%
Adam J. Varone (Independent) 0.39%
South Dakota[23]Richard F. KneipDemocraticRe-elected, 60.03%Carveth Thompson (Republican) 39.97%
Texas[24]Preston SmithDemocraticDefeated in primary,[25] Democratic victoryDolph 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 RamptonDemocraticRe-elected, 69.68%Nicholas L. Strike (Republican) 30.32%
Vermont[27]Deane C. DavisRepublicanRetired, Democratic victoryThomas P. Salmon (Democratic) 55.24%
Luther Fred Hackett (Republican) 43.59%
Bernie Sanders (Liberty Union) 1.15%
Scattering 0.02%
Washington[28]Daniel J. EvansRepublicanRe-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.RepublicanRe-elected, 54.74%Jay Rockefeller (Democratic) 45.26%
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See also

References
  1. "Office of the Governor". Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  2. "Article 5. Executive". 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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