1972 Vermont gubernatorial election

The 1972 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1972. The incumbent Republican Gov. Deane C. Davis was not a candidate for re-election to another term as Governor of Vermont. The Democratic nominee, Thomas P. Salmon, defeated the Republican nominee, Luther F. Hackett, to become his successor. Future U.S. senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders ran as a member of the Liberty Union Party.[1]

1972 Vermont gubernatorial election

November 7, 1972 (1972-11-07)

Nominee Thomas P. Salmon Luther Hackett Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 104,533 82,491 Percentage 55.3% 43.6%

County results Salmon:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Hackett:      40-50%      50–60%

Governor before election Deane C. Davis Republican Elected Governor Thomas P. Salmon Democratic

Republican primary

Results

Republican primary results[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Luther F. Hackett	33,323	54.4
	Republican	James M. Jeffords	27,902	45.5
	Republican	Other	46	0.1
Total votes			'61,271'	'100'

Democratic primary

Results

Democratic primary results[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Democratic	Thomas P. Salmon	10,552	99.0
	Democratic	Other	109	1.0
Total votes			'10,661'	'100'

General election

Results

Vermont gubernatorial election, 1972[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Democratic	Thomas P. Salmon	101,751	53.8
	Independent Vermonters	Thomas P. Salmon	2,782	1.5
	Total	Thomas P. Salmon	104,533	55.3
	Republican	Luther F. Hackett	82,491	43.6
	Liberty Union	Bernie Sanders[1]	2,175	1.1
	N/A	Other	38	0.0
Total votes			'189,237'	'100'

References

1. Tuesday, October 3, 1972, Bernard Sanders, 31, after losing the Senate race, runs for governor in 1972 under the Liberty Union banner. At a debate with his two major-party rivals at Johnson State College, Sanders wins repeated applause from a crowd of 350 students as he attacks the Republican and the Democratic candidates for governor. He accuses the GOP of a welfare policy that would make poor people "eat dirt" and chides both parties for not advocating stiff taxation of corporations in Vermont.http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2015/05/26/sanders-begin-political-revolution/27991467/
2. "Primary Election Results" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
3. "General Election Results - Governor - 1789-2012" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved 31 December 2014.