1972 United States Senate election in Alabama

The 1972 United States Senate election in Alabama was held on November 7, 1972.

1972 United States Senate election in Alabama

November 7, 1972

Nominee John Sparkman Winton Blount Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 654,491 347,523 Percentage 62.27% 33.06%

County results Sparkman:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Blount:      50–60% LeFlore:      40–50%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election John Sparkman Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John Sparkman Democratic

Incumbent Senator John Sparkman was re-elected to a fifth term in office over Postmaster General Winton Blount.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Melba Till Allen, Alabama State Auditor
• Sam Chestnut, Jr.
• Robert Edington, State Representative
• Jimmy Harper
• Lambert C. Mims, Mobile City Commissioner
• John Sparkman, incumbent Senator
• Charles Sullins

Results

1972 Democratic U.S. Senate primary[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Sparkman (inc.)	331,838	50.25%
	Democratic	Melba Till Allen	194,690	29.48%
	Democratic	Lambert C. Mims	87,461	13.25%
	Democratic	Robert Edington	22,145	3.35%
	Democratic	Charles Sullins	12,164	1.84%
	Democratic	Jimmy Harper	7,523	1.14%
	Democratic	Sam Chestnut, Jr.	4,519	0.68%
Total votes			660,340	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Winton Blount, Postmaster General of the United States
• Doris B. Callahan
• James D. Martin, former U.S. Representative from Alabama's 7th congressional district
• Bert Nettles

Results

1972 Republican U.S. Senate primary[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Winton Blount	27,736	54.16%
	Republican	James D. Martin	16,800	32.81%
	Republican	Bert Nettles	5,765	11.26%
	Republican	Doris Callahan	909	1.78%
Total votes			51,210	100.00%

Independents and third parties

Alabama Conservative

• Herbert W. Stone

Alabama National Democratic

• John L. LeFlore, founder of Alabama NAACP and civil rights activist

Prohibition

• Jerome B. Couch, nominee for Governor in 1970

General election

Results

General election results[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Democratic	John Sparkman	654,491	62.27%	2.20
	Republican	Winton Blount	347,523	33.06%	5.94
	National Democratic Party of Alabama	John L. LeFlore	31,421	2.99%	N/A
	Prohibition	Jerome Couch	10,826	1.03%	N/A
	Conservative	Herbert W. Stone	6,838	0.65%	N/A
Total votes			1,051,099	100.00%

See also

• 1972 United States Senate elections

References

1. "AL US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
2. "AL US Senate - R Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
3. "Our Campaigns - AL US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1972". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 18 August 2019.