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20 governorships 18 states; 2 territories | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Republican hold Republican gain Democratic hold Democratic gain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
United States gubernatorial elections were held on 7 November 1972 in 18 states and two territories, concurrent with theHouse,Senate elections andpresidential election.
Gubernatorial elections were also held inIowa,Kansas,South Dakota, andTexas. In these states, they were the last elections on a two-year cycle, before switching to a four-year term for governors (see1970 United States gubernatorial elections for more information).
| State | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Result | Candidates |
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| Arkansas | Dale Bumpers | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbentre-elected.[1] |  YDale Bumpers (Democratic) 75.44%Len E. Blaylock (Republican) 24.56% |
| Delaware | Russell W. Peterson | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent lost re-election.[2] New governorelected. Democratic gain. | YSherman W. Tribbitt (Democratic) 51.27% Russell W. Peterson (Republican) 47.91% Virginia M. Lyndall (American) 0.64% Harry H. Conner (Prohibition) 0.17% |
| Illinois | Richard B. Ogilvie | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent lost re-election.[3] New governorelected. Democratic gain. | YDan Walker (Democratic) 50.68% Richard B. Ogilvie (Republican) 49.02% George LaForest (Socialist Labor) 0.17% Ishmael Flory (Communist) 0.10% Write in 0.03% |
| Indiana | Edgar Whitcomb | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent term-limited.[4] New governorelected. Republican hold. | YOtis 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 | Robert D. Ray | Republican | 1968 | Incumbentre-elected.[5] | YRobert D. Ray (Republican) 58.43% Paul Franzenburg (Democratic) 40.26% Robert Dilley (American Independent) 1.30% |
| Kansas | Robert Docking | Democratic | 1966 | Incumbentre-elected.[6] | YRobert Docking (Democratic) 61.99% Morris Kay (Republican) 37.05% Rolland Ernest Fisher (Prohibition) 0.96% |
| Missouri | Warren E. Hearnes | Democratic | 1964 | Incumbent term-limited.[7] New governorelected. Republican gain. | YKit Bond (Republican) 55.18% Edward L. Doud (Democrat) 44.64% Paul J. Leonard (Nonpartisan) 0.19% |
| Montana | Forrest H. Anderson | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent retired.[8] New governorelected. Democratic hold. | YThomas Lee Judge (Democratic) 54.12% Ed Smith (Republican) 45.88% |
| New Hampshire | Walter R. Peterson Jr. | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent lost renomination.[9] New governorelected.[10] Republican hold. | YMeldrim Thomson Jr. (Republican) 41.38% Roger J. Crowley (Democratic) 39.03% Malcolm McLane (Independent) 19.56% Scattering 0.03% |
| North Carolina | Robert W. Scott | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent term-limited.[11] New governorelected. Republican gain. | YJames Holshouser (Republican) 51% Skipper Bowles (Democratic) 48.45% Arlis F. Pettyjohn (American) 0.55% |
| North Dakota | William L. Guy | Democratic-NPL | 1960 | Incumbent retired.[12] New governorelected. Democratic-NPL hold. | YArthur A. Link (Democratic-NPL) 51.04% Richard F. Larsen (Republican) 48.96% |
| Rhode Island | Frank Licht | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent retired.[13] New governorelected. Democratic hold. | YPhilip Noel (Democratic) 52.55% Herbert F. DeSimone (Republican) 47.07% Adam J. Varone (Independent) 0.39% |
| South Dakota | Richard F. Kneip | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbentre-elected.[14] | YRichard F. Kneip (Democratic) 60.03% Carveth Thompson (Republican) 39.97% |
| Texas | Preston Smith | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent lost renomination.[15] New governorelected.[16] Democratic hold. | YDolph 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 | Cal Rampton | Democratic | 1964 | Incumbentre-elected.[17] | YCal Rampton (Democratic) 69.68% Nicholas L. Strike (Republican) 30.32% |
| Vermont | Deane C. Davis | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent retired.[18] New governorelected. Democratic gain. | YThomas P. Salmon (Democratic) 55.24% Luther Fred Hackett (Republican) 43.59% Bernie Sanders (Liberty Union) 1.15% Scattering 0.02% |
| Washington | Daniel J. Evans | Republican | 1964 | Incumbentre-elected.[19] | YDaniel J. Evans (Republican) 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 | Arch A. Moore Jr. | Republican | 1968 | Incumbentre-elected.[20] | YArch A. Moore Jr. (Republican) 54.74% Jay Rockefeller (Democratic) 45.26% |
States where the margin of victory was under 5%:
States where the margin of victory was under 10%:
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 County results Bumpers: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. IncumbentDemocraticGovernorDale Bumpers defeatedRepublican nominee Len E. Blaylock with 75.44% of the vote, despite Democratic nomineeGeorge McGovern losing the state in a landslide in theconcurrent presidential election.
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 County results House district resultsTribbitt: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Peterson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972.Democratic nomineeSherman W. Tribbitt defeated incumbentRepublicanGovernorRussell W. Peterson with 51.27% of the vote.
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| Turnout | 75.28% 4.11pp | |||||||||||||||||||
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 County results Walker: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Ogilvie: 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Illinois gubernatorial election was held inIllinois on November 7, 1972.[21]Incumbent first-termRepublicangovernorRichard B. Ogilvie lost reelection in an upset to theDemocratic nominee,Dan Walker.
This was the first election in which each party's nominee forlieutenant governor of Illinois ran on aticket with the gubernatorial nominee for the general election. Previously, there had been two separate elections for the two offices. This would be the last election of the 20th century in which a Democrat won the governorship of Illinois, with all seven remaining elections of that century being won by Republican nominees.
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 County results Bowen: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Welsh: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Indiana gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Although during the same election cycle Indiana voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing the governor to serve in office for eight out of 12 years, incumbentRepublicanGovernorEdgar Whitcomb was term-limited due to having been elected under the prior version of the constitution.[22][23][24]
Republican nominee,Speaker of the Indiana House of RepresentativesOtis Bowen defeatedDemocratic nominee Former Governor (1961-1965)Matthew E. Welsh with 56.77% of the vote.
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 County results Ray: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Iowa gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. IncumbentRepublicanRobert D. Ray defeatedDemocratic nomineePaul Franzenburg with 58.43% of the vote.
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 County results Docking: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Kay: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Kansas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. IncumbentDemocratRobert Docking defeatedRepublican nomineeMorris Kay with 62.0% of the vote.
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 County results Bond: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Dowd: 50-60% 60-70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Missouri gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972 in the U.S state of Missouri and resulted in a victory for theRepublican nominee for the first time since 1940 incumbentState Auditor of MissouriKit Bond, over theDemocratic nominee, Edward L. Dowd, andNonpartisan Paul J. Leonard.Joseph P. Teasdale was a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination, before winning the nomination in the 1976 election, as was lieutenant governorWilliam S. Morris, whileGene McNary was a candidate for the Republican nomination.
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| Turnout | 84.60%1.80[25] | ||||||||||||||||
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 County results Anderson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Smith: 50-60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1972. IncumbentGovernor of MontanaForrest H. Anderson, who was first elected in1968, declined to seek re-election.Thomas Lee Judge, theLieutenant Governor of Montana, won a competitiveDemocratic primary, and moved on to the general election, where he faced Ed Smith, a rancher and theRepublican nominee. Although then-PresidentRichard Nixon won the statein a landslide in that year'spresidential election, Judge managed to handily defeat Smith, winning his first of two terms as governor.
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 County results Municipality resultsThomson: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Crowley: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% >90% McLane: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% No Data/Vote: | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The1972 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. IncumbentRepublicanGovernorWalter R. Peterson Jr. was defeated for renomination in the Republican primary.
Republican nomineeMeldrim Thomson Jr. defeatedDemocratic nominee Roger J. Crowley with 41.38% of the vote.
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 County results Holshouser: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% Bowles: 40-50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972.Republican nomineeJames Holshouser defeatedDemocratic nomineeSkipper Bowles with 51% of the vote. Holshouser thus became the first Republican electedgovernor of the state since 1896.
This election was also the first time in a century (since the1872 election) that a Republican candidate won an outright majority of the vote.
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 County results Link: 50–60% 60–70% Larsen: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 North Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. The election pittedDemocratic CongressmanArthur A. Link AgainstRepublican Lieutenant governorRichard F. Larsen. Link Narrowly Defeated Larsen by a margin of 51% to 49%.
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 County results Municipality resultsNoel: 50–60% 60–70% DeSimone: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972.Democratic nomineePhilip Noel defeatedRepublican nomineeHerbert F. DeSimone with 52.55% of the vote.
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 County results Kneip: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Thompson: 50-60% 60-70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The1972 South Dakota gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972, to elect aGovernor of South Dakota. It was the last election in South Dakota to elect the governor for a two-year term after a 1972 state constitutional amendment established a four-year term.[26]Democratic nomineeRichard F. Kneip was re-elected, defeatingRepublican nomineeCarveth Thompson despite incumbent Republican PresidentRichard Nixon winning the state with 62% of the vote on the same ballot.
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 County results Briscoe: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Grover: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Muñiz: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972, to elect thegovernor of Texas.IncumbentDemocratic governorPreston Smith ran for reelection, but lost renomination to businessmanDolph Briscoe. Smith was overwhelmingly rejected in the Democratic primary, taking fourth place with only 8% of the vote amid the fallout from theSharpstown scandal. Briscoe went on to win the general election by a relatively small margin, winning 48% of the vote toRepublicanHenry Grover's 45%.Raza Unida candidateRamsey Muniz won 6%.
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 County results Rampton: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Strike: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972.Democratic incumbentCal Rampton defeatedRepublican nomineeNicholas L. Strike with 69.69% of the vote. Rampton's victory was despite incumbent Republican presidentRichard Nixon winning the state with over 67% of the vote in theconcurrent presidential election.[27] The election made Rampton the first governor to serve three terms.[28]
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 County results Salmon: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Hackett: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1972. The incumbentRepublicanGov.Deane C. Davis was not a candidate for re-election to another term asGovernor of Vermont. TheDemocratic nominee,Thomas P. Salmon, defeated theRepublican nominee,Luther F. Hackett, to become his successor. Future U.S. senator and presidential candidateBernie Sanders ran as a member of theLiberty Union Party.
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 County results Evans: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Rosellini: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. IncumbentGovernor of WashingtonDaniel J. Evans, who was first elected eight years earlier, and then re-elected in 1968, was eligible for re-election, as Washington does not have gubernatorial term limits.
On election day, Evans defeated former governorAlbert D. Rosellini by a comfortable margin of 51% to 43% in a rematch of the1964 contest.
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 County results Moore: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Rockefeller: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1972 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1972, to elect thegovernor of West Virginia. Incumbent governor Arch A. Moore, Jr. successfully ran for reelection to a second term. This was the first time a governor was reelected to a second four year term in state history, and the first time a governor had been reelected since1872.
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