1972 United States Senate election in South Dakota

Summary

The 1972 United States Senate election in South Dakota took place on November 7, 1972, concurrently with the U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

1972 United States Senate election in South Dakota

← 1966 November 7, 1972 1978 →
 
Nominee James Abourezk Robert W. Hirsch
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 174,773 131,613
Percentage 57.04% 42.96%

County results
Abourezk:      50–60%      60–70%      80–90%
Hirsch:      50–60%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election

Karl E. Mundt
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

James Abourezk
Democratic

Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Karl E. Mundt, who had suffered a severe stroke in 1969, did not run for re-election to a fifth term and was succeeded by Democratic nominee James Abourezk.

Despite Abourezk's 14 percentage point win, Democratic presidential nominee and future fellow South Dakota Senator George McGovern lost his home state by a margin of 8.6 points in the concurrent presidential election.[1]

South Dakota was one of fifteen states alongside Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and West Virginia that were won by Republican President Richard Nixon in 1972 that elected Democrats to the United States Senate.

Primary elections edit

Primary elections were held on June 6, 1972.

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

Democratic primary results[3][4][5][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James Abourezk 46,931 79.42%
Democratic George Blue 12,163 20.58%
Total votes 59,094 100.00%

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

Republican primary results[3][8][9][10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert W. Hirsch 27,322 27.37%
Republican Gordon J. Mydland 22,297 22.34%
Republican Chuck Lien 21,995 22.03%
Republican Kenneth D. Stofferahn 16,615 16.65%
Republican Tom Reardon 11,592 11.61%
Total votes 99,821 100.00%

A state convention was held June 26 to determine the party's nominee as no candidate received the 35% required for nomination under the state's primary law. Hirsch was nominated at this convention.[8]

General election edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

1972 United States Senate election in South Dakota[11][12][13][14][15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James Abourezk 174,773 57.04
Republican Robert W. Hirsch 131,613 42.96
Majority 43,160 14.08
Turnout 306,386
Democratic gain from Republican

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Dakotans focus on Mundt's seat". New York Times. New York City. June 4, 1972. p. 47. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 152.
  4. ^ America Votes 10, p. 340.
  5. ^ "SD US Senate, 1972 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  6. ^ Alma Larson, Secretary of State (ed.). Official Election Returns for South Dakota: Primary Election, June 6, 1972 (PDF). p. 3.
  7. ^ "South Dakota Legislature".
  8. ^ a b America Votes 10, p. 302.
  9. ^ "SD US Senate, 1972 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  10. ^ Alma Larson, Secretary of State (ed.). Official Election Returns for South Dakota: Primary Election, June 6, 1972 (PDF). p. 4.
  11. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 96.
  12. ^ America Votes 10, p. 297.
  13. ^ "SD US Senate, 1972". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  14. ^ Secretary of State (ed.). Official Election Returns by counties for the State of South Dakota: General Election, November 7, 1972 (PDF). p. 3.
  15. ^ Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972" (PDF). United States Government Printing Office. Retrieved April 4, 2015 – via Clerk.house.gov.

Bibliography edit

  • Congressional Elections, 1946-1996. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-248-4.
  • Scammon, Richard M., ed. (1973). America Votes 10: a handbook of contemporary American election statistics, 1972. Washington, D.C.: Governmental Affairs Institute.