United States presidential election in South Dakota, 1972

United States presidential election in South Dakota, 1972

November 7, 1972

Nominee Richard Nixon George McGovern Party Republican Democratic Home state California South Dakota Running mate Spiro Agnew Sargent Shriver Electoral vote 4 0 Popular vote 166,476 139,945 Percentage 54.2% 45.5%

President before election Richard Nixon Republican Elected President Richard Nixon Republican

Elections in South Dakota
Federal government Presidential Elections 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Presidential Primaries Democratic 2008 Republican 2008 2012 U.S. Senate elections 1980 1986 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 U.S. House elections 2002 2004 (special) 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
State government General elections 2014 Gubernatorial elections 1889 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1972 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014
Ballot measures 2006 Amendment C

South Dakota was the home state of George McGovern, the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 United States presidential election.

Although McGovern, a member of the liberal wing of his party in a relatively conservative state, was at the time of the election a popular two-term Senator, having won re-election in 1968 with 56.8% of the vote, he lost the presidential vote here to incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon. McGovern's loss was heavily influenced by voter opposition to his supposedly far-left ideology.

McGovern's loss of South Dakota made him the second candidate in four years to lose his state of birth (in 1968 Hubert Humphrey also lost South Dakota, where he was born) and residence (also in 1968 Richard Nixon lost New York, where he then resided). McGovern remained the last candidate to lose his state of residence until 2000, when Al Gore lost Tennessee.

Results

Notes

References

• Our Campaigns - SD US President Race - Nov 07, 1972