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 County results
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The1972 United States presidential election in Wisconsin was held on November 7, 1972 as part of the1972 United States presidential election. Incumbent PresidentRichard Nixon won the state ofWisconsin with 53.40 percent of the vote, carrying the state's 11 electoral votes,[1] although Wisconsin was the fifth most Democratic state during the election, voting 13.48 points more Democratic than the nation as a whole. In no other election since the emergence of the Republican Party has Wisconsin voted so much more Democratic than the country as a whole.[2]
McGovern won seven counties (out of 131 county-equivalents including three in Alaska that he won nationally)[3] receiving as usual his highest vote in almost whollyNative AmericanMenominee County where he won 62.3 percent of the vote. McGovern and Shriver also achieved clear majorities inMilwaukee,Dane,Ashland,Douglas andPortage Counties, andRusk County by 1.1 points. Nixon wonManitowoc County by one hundred and ten votes, achieved pluralities in Pepin, Chippewa and Forest Counties, and won majorities in the remaining sixty-one – the largest being inWaupaca County where Nixon won by forty-two percentage points. Rusk County was one of six nationwide (outside of McGovern's home state of South Dakota) to flip Democratic from the previous election.
Nixon became the first Republican sinceWarren G. Harding in1920 to winIron County, and was the last Republican untilDonald Trump in2016 to winPepin andKenosha Counties, and remains the last Republican to claimBayfield County.[4]
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 County Results
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George McGovern defeated Alabama Governor, George Wallace, and previous Democratic nominee, Hubert Humphrey in the Wisconsin presidential primary on April 4, 1972
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | George McGovern | 333,528 | 29.55% | |
| Democratic | George Wallace | 248,676 | 22.03% | |
| Democratic | Hubert H. Humphrey | 233,748 | 20.71% | |
| Democratic | Edmund S. Muskie | 115,811 | 10.26% | |
| Democratic | Henry M. Jackson | 88,068 | 7.80% | |
| Democratic | John Lindsay | 75,579 | 6.70% | |
| Democratic | Eugene McCarthy | 15,543 | 1.38% | |
| Democratic | Shirley Chisholm | 9,198 | 0.82% | |
| Democratic | None of the above | 2,450 | 0.22% | |
| Democratic | Sam Yorty | 2,349 | 0.21% | |
| Democratic | Patsy Mink | 1,213 | 0.11% | |
| Democratic | Wilbur Mills | 913 | 0.08% | |
| Democratic | Vance Hartke | 766 | 0.07% | |
| Democratic | Ted Kennedy (write-in) | 183 | 0.02% | |
| Democratic | Scattering[a] | 559 | 0.05% | |
| Total votes | 1,128,584 | 100.00% | ||
Incumbent presidentRichard Nixon easily defeated token opposition fromPete McCloskey andJohn M. Ashbrook.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard Nixon | 277,601 | 96.91% | |
| Republican | Pete McCloskey | 3,651 | 1.27% | |
| Republican | John M. Ashbrook | 2,604 | 0.91% | |
| Republican | None of the above | 2,315 | 0.81% | |
| Republican | George Wallace (write-in) | 46 | 0.02% | |
| Republican | Scattering[a] | 227 | 0.08% | |
| Total votes | 286,444 | 100.00% | ||
| 1972 United States presidential election in Wisconsin[7][8] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Electoral votes | |
| Republican | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | 989,430 | 53.40% | 11 | |
| Democratic | George McGovern | 810,174 | 43.72% | 0 | |
| American | John G. Schmitz | 47,525 | 2.56% | 0 | |
| People's[b] | Benjamin Spock | 2,701 | 0.15% | 0 | |
| Socialist Labor[c] | Louis Fisher | 998 | 0.05% | 0 | |
| Communist[d] | Gus Hall | 663 | 0.04% | 0 | |
| Socialist Workers[e] | Evelyn Reed | 506 | 0.03% | 0 | |
| Write-in | Scattering[f] | 893 | 0.05% | 0 | |
| Totals | 1,852,890 | 100.00% | 11 | ||
| County[7][8] | Richard Nixon Republican | George McGovern Democratic | John G. Schmitz American | Benjamin Spock People's | All Others Various | Margin | Total votes cast | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 2,200 | 53.18% | 1,833 | 44.31% | 96 | 2.32% | 3 | 0.07% | 5 | 0.12% | 367 | 8.87% | 4,137 |
| Ashland | 3,478 | 46.91% | 3,771 | 50.86% | 135 | 1.82% | 5 | 0.07% | 25 | 0.34% | -293 | -3.95% | 7,414 |
| Barron | 8,418 | 59.89% | 5,376 | 38.25% | 211 | 1.50% | 21 | 0.15% | 29 | 0.21% | 3,042 | 21.64% | 14,055 |
| Bayfield | 3,045 | 51.79% | 2,736 | 46.54% | 74 | 1.26% | 4 | 0.07% | 20 | 0.34% | 309 | 5.26% | 5,879 |
| Brown | 37,101 | 56.49% | 26,511 | 40.37% | 1,907 | 2.90% | 94 | 0.14% | 62 | 0.09% | 10,590 | 16.12% | 65,675 |
| Buffalo | 3,079 | 54.28% | 2,461 | 43.39% | 110 | 1.94% | 4 | 0.07% | 18 | 0.32% | 618 | 10.90% | 5,672 |
| Burnett | 2,972 | 54.37% | 2,389 | 43.71% | 92 | 1.68% | 8 | 0.15% | 5 | 0.09% | 583 | 10.66% | 5,466 |
| Calumet | 6,446 | 55.85% | 4,804 | 41.62% | 243 | 2.11% | 31 | 0.27% | 18 | 0.16% | 1,642 | 14.23% | 11,542 |
| Chippewa | 8,451 | 49.35% | 8,210 | 47.95% | 416 | 2.43% | 34 | 0.20% | 12 | 0.07% | 241 | 1.40% | 17,123 |
| Clark | 7,138 | 56.47% | 4,617 | 36.52% | 859 | 6.80% | 18 | 0.14% | 9 | 0.07% | 2,521 | 19.95% | 12,641 |
| Columbia | 10,122 | 58.02% | 7,083 | 40.60% | 216 | 1.24% | 11 | 0.06% | 15 | 0.09% | 3,039 | 17.42% | 17,447 |
| Crawford | 3,705 | 58.67% | 2,487 | 39.38% | 115 | 1.82% | 5 | 0.08% | 3 | 0.05% | 1,218 | 19.29% | 6,315 |
| Dane | 56,020 | 40.84% | 79,567 | 58.00% | 1,040 | 0.76% | 219 | 0.16% | 331 | 0.24% | -23,547 | -17.17% | 137,177 |
| Dodge | 17,068 | 61.54% | 9,898 | 35.69% | 715 | 2.58% | 29 | 0.10% | 27 | 0.10% | 7,170 | 25.85% | 27,737 |
| Door | 6,503 | 64.25% | 3,430 | 33.89% | 167 | 1.65% | 18 | 0.18% | 3 | 0.03% | 3,073 | 30.36% | 10,121 |
| Douglas | 8,419 | 42.58% | 11,054 | 55.91% | 202 | 1.02% | 36 | 0.18% | 60 | 0.30% | -2,635 | -13.33% | 19,771 |
| Dunn | 6,660 | 53.00% | 5,681 | 45.21% | 185 | 1.47% | 16 | 0.13% | 23 | 0.18% | 979 | 7.79% | 12,565 |
| Eau Claire | 15,883 | 51.28% | 14,300 | 46.17% | 671 | 2.17% | 57 | 0.18% | 60 | 0.19% | 1,583 | 5.11% | 30,971 |
| Florence | 971 | 54.06% | 757 | 42.15% | 64 | 3.56% | 1 | 0.06% | 3 | 0.17% | 214 | 11.91% | 1,796 |
| Fond du Lac | 21,007 | 60.94% | 12,050 | 34.96% | 1,291 | 3.75% | 55 | 0.16% | 67 | 0.19% | 8,957 | 25.98% | 34,470 |
| Forest | 1,856 | 49.77% | 1,678 | 45.00% | 190 | 5.10% | 4 | 0.11% | 1 | 0.03% | 178 | 4.77% | 3,729 |
| Grant | 11,873 | 62.29% | 6,915 | 36.28% | 240 | 1.26% | 15 | 0.08% | 18 | 0.09% | 4,958 | 26.01% | 19,061 |
| Green | 7,422 | 66.14% | 3,634 | 32.38% | 145 | 1.29% | 13 | 0.12% | 8 | 0.07% | 3,788 | 33.76% | 11,222 |
| Green Lake | 5,046 | 67.67% | 2,174 | 29.15% | 227 | 3.04% | 6 | 0.08% | 4 | 0.05% | 2,872 | 38.52% | 7,457 |
| Iowa | 4,387 | 57.53% | 3,131 | 41.06% | 97 | 1.27% | 7 | 0.09% | 4 | 0.05% | 1,256 | 16.47% | 7,626 |
| Iron | 1,723 | 49.93% | 1,648 | 47.75% | 70 | 2.03% | 5 | 0.14% | 5 | 0.14% | 75 | 2.18% | 3,451 |
| Jackson | 3,937 | 60.79% | 2,445 | 37.75% | 84 | 1.30% | 9 | 0.14% | 1 | 0.02% | 1,492 | 23.04% | 6,476 |
| Jefferson | 14,621 | 59.32% | 9,303 | 37.74% | 611 | 2.48% | 22 | 0.09% | 91 | 0.37% | 5,318 | 21.58% | 24,648 |
| Juneau | 4,833 | 60.19% | 2,943 | 36.65% | 237 | 2.95% | 7 | 0.09% | 10 | 0.12% | 1,890 | 23.54% | 8,030 |
| Kenosha | 24,041 | 53.93% | 19,441 | 43.61% | 966 | 2.17% | 66 | 0.15% | 62 | 0.14% | 4,600 | 10.32% | 44,576 |
| Kewaunee | 4,802 | 57.15% | 3,360 | 39.99% | 229 | 2.73% | 11 | 0.13% | 1 | 0.01% | 1,442 | 17.16% | 8,403 |
| La Crosse | 21,992 | 63.29% | 12,152 | 34.97% | 541 | 1.56% | 36 | 0.10% | 25 | 0.07% | 9,840 | 28.32% | 34,746 |
| Lafayette | 4,898 | 62.91% | 2,804 | 36.01% | 73 | 0.94% | 6 | 0.08% | 5 | 0.06% | 2,094 | 26.90% | 7,786 |
| Langlade | 4,368 | 57.26% | 3,011 | 39.47% | 238 | 3.12% | 6 | 0.08% | 6 | 0.08% | 1,357 | 17.79% | 7,629 |
| Lincoln | 6,206 | 57.25% | 4,175 | 38.51% | 437 | 4.03% | 11 | 0.10% | 11 | 0.10% | 2,031 | 18.74% | 10,840 |
| Manitowoc | 16,599 | 48.48% | 16,489 | 48.16% | 1,070 | 3.13% | 38 | 0.11% | 41 | 0.12% | 110 | 0.32% | 34,237 |
| Marathon | 21,454 | 51.24% | 18,500 | 44.18% | 1,813 | 4.33% | 42 | 0.10% | 63 | 0.15% | 2,954 | 7.05% | 41,872 |
| Marinette | 8,740 | 57.36% | 5,900 | 38.72% | 537 | 3.52% | 40 | 0.26% | 21 | 0.14% | 2,840 | 18.64% | 15,238 |
| Marquette | 2,682 | 62.53% | 1,537 | 35.84% | 54 | 1.26% | 6 | 0.14% | 10 | 0.23% | 1,145 | 26.70% | 4,289 |
| Menominee | 355 | 36.37% | 608 | 62.30% | 11 | 1.13% | 2 | 0.20% | 0 | 0.00% | -253 | -25.93% | 976 |
| Milwaukee | 191,874 | 46.02% | 210,802 | 50.55% | 12,567 | 3.01% | 724 | 0.17% | 1,010 | 0.24% | -18,928 | -4.54% | 416,977 |
| Monroe | 7,625 | 66.68% | 3,640 | 31.83% | 149 | 1.30% | 10 | 0.09% | 12 | 0.10% | 3,985 | 34.85% | 11,436 |
| Oconto | 6,511 | 59.38% | 4,041 | 36.85% | 385 | 3.51% | 13 | 0.12% | 15 | 0.14% | 2,470 | 22.53% | 10,965 |
| Oneida | 6,811 | 58.83% | 4,262 | 36.81% | 471 | 4.07% | 23 | 0.20% | 10 | 0.09% | 2,549 | 22.02% | 11,577 |
| Outagamie | 27,533 | 59.80% | 17,447 | 37.89% | 896 | 1.95% | 101 | 0.22% | 67 | 0.15% | 10,086 | 21.91% | 46,044 |
| Ozaukee | 15,759 | 61.88% | 8,503 | 33.39% | 1,149 | 4.51% | 20 | 0.08% | 35 | 0.14% | 7,256 | 28.49% | 25,466 |
| Pepin | 1,458 | 49.21% | 1,409 | 47.55% | 86 | 2.90% | 5 | 0.17% | 5 | 0.17% | 49 | 1.65% | 2,963 |
| Pierce | 5,899 | 50.35% | 5,611 | 47.89% | 184 | 1.57% | 10 | 0.09% | 12 | 0.10% | 288 | 2.46% | 11,716 |
| Polk | 6,567 | 52.40% | 5,738 | 45.78% | 204 | 1.63% | 11 | 0.09% | 13 | 0.10% | 829 | 6.62% | 12,533 |
| Portage | 9,346 | 40.04% | 13,564 | 58.11% | 365 | 1.56% | 46 | 0.20% | 20 | 0.09% | -4,218 | -18.07% | 23,341 |
| Price | 3,694 | 54.39% | 2,831 | 41.68% | 250 | 3.68% | 2 | 0.03% | 15 | 0.22% | 863 | 12.71% | 6,792 |
| Racine | 38,490 | 56.41% | 27,778 | 40.71% | 1,785 | 2.62% | 101 | 0.15% | 82 | 0.12% | 10,712 | 15.70% | 68,236 |
| Richland | 5,062 | 66.14% | 2,492 | 32.56% | 90 | 1.18% | 3 | 0.04% | 7 | 0.09% | 2,570 | 33.58% | 7,654 |
| Rock | 30,361 | 58.03% | 21,033 | 40.20% | 823 | 1.57% | 65 | 0.12% | 37 | 0.07% | 9,328 | 17.83% | 52,319 |
| Rusk | 3,007 | 47.89% | 3,075 | 48.97% | 176 | 2.80% | 10 | 0.16% | 11 | 0.18% | -68 | -1.08% | 6,279 |
| Sauk | 10,285 | 58.70% | 6,980 | 39.84% | 204 | 1.16% | 12 | 0.07% | 41 | 0.23% | 3,305 | 18.86% | 17,522 |
| Sawyer | 3,081 | 62.52% | 1,765 | 35.82% | 72 | 1.46% | 7 | 0.14% | 3 | 0.06% | 1,316 | 26.70% | 4,928 |
| Shawano | 8,807 | 66.95% | 3,940 | 29.95% | 378 | 2.87% | 7 | 0.05% | 22 | 0.17% | 4,867 | 37.00% | 13,154 |
| Sheboygan | 21,500 | 49.38% | 21,114 | 48.50% | 779 | 1.79% | 81 | 0.19% | 63 | 0.14% | 386 | 0.89% | 43,537 |
| St. Croix | 8,553 | 52.50% | 7,488 | 45.96% | 213 | 1.31% | 21 | 0.13% | 16 | 0.10% | 1,065 | 6.54% | 16,291 |
| Taylor | 4,125 | 55.76% | 2,934 | 39.66% | 313 | 4.23% | 4 | 0.05% | 22 | 0.30% | 1,191 | 16.10% | 7,398 |
| Trempealeau | 5,723 | 56.69% | 4,232 | 41.92% | 126 | 1.25% | 4 | 0.04% | 10 | 0.10% | 1,491 | 14.77% | 10,095 |
| Vernon | 6,836 | 65.71% | 3,407 | 32.75% | 127 | 1.22% | 10 | 0.10% | 23 | 0.22% | 3,429 | 32.96% | 10,403 |
| Vilas | 4,422 | 65.92% | 1,907 | 28.43% | 366 | 5.46% | 4 | 0.06% | 9 | 0.13% | 2,515 | 37.49% | 6,708 |
| Walworth | 17,823 | 65.95% | 8,598 | 31.82% | 485 | 1.79% | 38 | 0.14% | 79 | 0.29% | 9,225 | 34.14% | 27,023 |
| Washburn | 3,220 | 56.84% | 2,336 | 41.24% | 96 | 1.69% | 6 | 0.11% | 7 | 0.12% | 884 | 15.60% | 5,665 |
| Washington | 15,338 | 56.76% | 10,434 | 38.61% | 1,161 | 4.30% | 45 | 0.17% | 46 | 0.17% | 4,904 | 18.15% | 27,024 |
| Waukesha | 59,399 | 60.85% | 34,573 | 35.42% | 3,404 | 3.49% | 151 | 0.15% | 95 | 0.10% | 24,826 | 25.43% | 97,622 |
| Waupaca | 11,040 | 70.07% | 4,418 | 28.04% | 257 | 1.63% | 20 | 0.13% | 20 | 0.13% | 6,622 | 42.03% | 15,755 |
| Waushara | 4,466 | 66.27% | 2,094 | 31.07% | 166 | 2.46% | 8 | 0.12% | 5 | 0.07% | 2,372 | 35.20% | 6,739 |
| Winnebago | 29,488 | 57.28% | 20,450 | 39.72% | 1,400 | 2.72% | 93 | 0.18% | 51 | 0.10% | 9,038 | 17.56% | 51,482 |
| Wood | 14,806 | 54.88% | 10,415 | 38.60% | 1,719 | 6.37% | 25 | 0.09% | 15 | 0.06% | 4,391 | 16.28% | 26,980 |
| Totals | 989,430 | 53.40% | 810,174 | 43.72% | 47,525 | 2.56% | 2,701 | 0.15% | 3,060 | 0.17% | 179,256 | 9.67% | 1,852,890 |
These were the names of the electors on each ticket.[7]
| Richard M. Nixon &Spiro Agnew Republican Party | George McGovern &Sargent Shriver Democratic Party | John G. Schmitz &Thomas J. Anderson American Party |
|---|---|---|
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| Benjamin Spock &Julius Hobson People's Party | Louis Fisher & Genevieve Gunderson Socialist Labor Party | Gus Hall &Jarvis Tyner Communist Party | Evelyn Reed &Clifton DeBerry Socialist Workers Party |
|---|---|---|---|
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State and district results of the1972 United States presidential election | ||
|---|---|---|
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