The 1972 election was for Richard Nixon an unparalleled triumph. Although he was expected to win and win big, he won a whopping 49 states, a feat repeated only once more since. Senator George McGovern of South Dakota had a disastrous if principled run for president, and even that was challenged given his quick dropping of Senator Thomas Eagleton of Missouri as his running mate upon revelation that he had seen a psychiatrist even though he had initially denied it would happen. However, for his party, things didn’t quite go that way. Part of it was that the GOP at this time was really picking and choosing their battles when it came to the South, and many voters were still clinging onto their traditional Democratic Party affiliation even if their vote for president was going to Nixon. In races in which there were open seats in the South, the GOP did well, but in other places in the nation, they could have used some coattails.

The House: Moderately Positive

The Democrats had a formidable House majority, so it was unlikely that an election would flip control to the Republicans, but they won a net of 12 seats. They had net gains in the following states:

Arizona – The 1970 census had produced an extra House seat, and this was won by John B. Conlan.

Colorado – Republicans lost a seat in the Denver-based 1^st but won a newly created district as well as the 4^th district.

Connecticut – Ronald Sarasin defeats Democrat John Monagan for reelection.

Illinois – Staunchly liberal Democrat Abner Mikva lost reelection to Republican Samuel Young, and Republicans gained two seats from redistricting. Mikva would be back after the 1974 midterms though.

Indiana – Democrat Andy Jacobs Jr. loses reelection to Republican Bill Hudnut. Like Mikva, he would be back after the 1974 midterms.

Louisiana – Republican Dave Treen wins in the 3^rd district, the first one to win a Congressional seat in Louisiana since 1888.

Maine – Although Democrat Bill Hathaway moves up to the Senate, his successor is Republican William Cohen, who will later trounce Hathaway in the 1978 Senate race.

Maryland – Marjorie Holt wins a newly created district in the D.C. suburbs.

Michigan – Robert Huber is elected in a newly created district, but he only lasts a term.

Mississippi – Republicans had a bit of a false start in this state with the election of Prentiss Walker to Congress in 1964. However, the elections of Thad Cochran and Trent Lott, two major figures in the rise of Republicans in Mississippi, is their real start.

Nevada – Republican Dave Towell succeeds Democrat Walter Baring, who endorsed him after losing renomination to a liberal.

New Jersey – Joseph Maraziti wins a newly created district. However, he is swept away in the 1974 midterms.

New York –Angelo Roncallo wins a newly-created district (he doesn’t last), while Republican Ben Gilman defeats Democrat John G. Dow for reelection. Democrats keep one seat when Republican Seymour Halpern’s district is merged with Democrat Lester Wolff’s.

North Dakota – Republicans essentially gain by a seat being held by a Democrat being dropped from the census. Mark Andrews continues representing the state.

South Carolina – Republican Edward Young succeeds Democrat John McMillan. He doesn’t last.

South Dakota – Republicans had a bit of a rough time in the state lately, but Jim Abdnor winning the 2^nd district helps things.

Tennessee – Republican Robin Beard wins the newly created 6^th district, which merged Democrat William Anderson’s and Ray Blanton’s.

Texas – Republican Alan Steelman defeats Democrat Earle Cabell for reelection in Dallas, and Republican Bob Price’s district is merged with Democrat Graham Purcell’s, with Price coming out on top. Price loses reelection next time around.

Virginia – Republican Bob Daniel succeeds Democrat Watkins Abbitt. It’s not much of a change, as Abbitt was already quite conservative.

Net Losses:

Georgia – Atlanta’s Fletcher Thompson retired to run for the Senate, and the seat was won by Democrat and civil rights activist Andrew Young, the first black representative elected in Georgia since Reconstruction.

Iowa – Fred Schwengel loses reelection in the 1^st district, and Rep. John Kyl loses reelection in his district merging with Democratic Rep. Neal Smith. Republicans are similarly disappointed in the Senate, as I will cover later.

Massachusetts – Hastings Keith opts to retire, and is succeeded by liberal Democrat Gerry Studds, who narrowly prevails over his Republican opponent. In the 5^th district, future senator and presidential candidate John Kerry runs for the seat, but is defeated.

Oklahoma – In 1970, Republican Page Belcher faced a tough challenge from Democrat James Jones. Instead of facing him again, he opts to retire, and Jones wins the seat.

Utah – Republican Sherman Lloyd loses reelection to Democrat Douglas Owens. A candidate of the American Independent Party notably takes over 11% of the vote.

Wisconsin – Redistricting places Democrat Dave Obey and Republican Alvin O’Konski in the same district; the latter loses. Obey will serve until 2011.

The Senate

The Senate is a much grimmer picture for the Republicans, and some significant incumbents lose. However, there are offsets in gains in other states.

Wins:

New Mexico – Republican Pete Domenici succeeds retiring Democrat Clinton Anderson. He will serve until 2009.

North Carolina – Jesse Helms succeeds Democrat B. Everett Jordan, who had lost renomination. He will serve until 2003.

Oklahoma – Governor Dewey Bartlett wins the election, succeeding the very liberal Democrat Fred Harris. He lasts only a term, as he develops lung cancer and dies shortly after his term ends.

Virginia – Democrat William B. Spong loses reelection to Republican Congressman William Scott. Scott only lasts a term as his time as senator is marked by numerous verbal blunders. His successor, Republican John Warner, will be in office until 2009.

Losses:

Colorado – Republican Gordon Allott, running for his fourth term, loses reelection by a point to Democrat Floyd Haskell. Haskell would only serve a term before being defeated by Republican Congressman Bill Armstrong.

Delaware – Republican Cale Boggs, who was reluctant to run again but pushed into doing so by President Nixon, is defeated by none other than the current president. That’s how long he’s been on the scene, folks!

Iowa – Although Nixon handily wins reelection in Iowa as he does just about everywhere, Republican Jack Miller loses reelection by over ten points to Democrat Dick Clark. Like Haskell, he lasts only a term, being defeated by Roger Jepsen in 1978.

Kentucky – Republican John Sherman Cooper retires, and former Governor Louie B. Nunn just doesn’t make it against Democrat Dee Huddleston.

Maine – Perhaps the most stunning Senate loss was that of Margaret Chase Smith. Smith was a trailblazer for women in the Senate and a known centrist, but by 1972 the state of Maine had changed from when she first got into politics. Congressman Bill Hathaway defeats her, and I have already written what happens in 1978.

South Dakota – Republican Karl Mundt retires on account of him being in bad health after suffering a major stroke, and staunchly liberal Democratic Congressman James Abourezk wins the election to succeed him.

The 1972 election was amazing for Nixon, but the Congressional GOP could have used a better election, especially given what was coming after Watergate.

References

1972 United States House of Representatives elections. Wikipedia.

Retrieved from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections

1972 United States Senate elections. Wikipedia.

Retrieved from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_United_States_Senate_elections