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1972 United States presidential election in Virginia

Main article: 1972 United States presidential election

The 1972 United States presidential election in Virginia took place on November 7, 1972. All 50 states and the District of Columbia were part of the 1972 United States presidential election. Virginia voters chose 12 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president of the United States. This was also the first presidential election after the passage of the Twenty-sixth Amendment, which decreased the voting age from 21 to 18.

1972 United States presidential election in Virginia
← 1968 November 7, 1972 1976 →
 
Nominee Richard Nixon George McGovern
Party Republican Democratic
Home state California South Dakota
Running mate Spiro Agnew Sargent Shriver
Electoral vote 11[a] 0
Popular vote 988,493 438,887
Percentage 67.84% 30.12%
County and Independent City Results
President before election

Richard Nixon
Republican

Elected President

Richard Nixon
Republican

For over sixty years Virginia had had the most restricted electorate in the United States due to a cumulative poll tax and literacy tests.[1] Virginia would be almost entirely controlled by the conservative Democratic Byrd Organization for four of those decades,[2] although during the Organization's last twenty years of controlling the state it would direct many Virginia voters away from the national Democratic Party due to opposition to black civil rights and to the fiscal liberalism of the New Deal.[3] After the Twenty-Fourth Amendment and Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections the state's electorate would substantially expand as the burden of poll taxes on the lower classes was removed. Contemporaneously the postwar Republican trend of the Northeast-aligned Washington D.C. suburbs, which had begun as early as 1944, would accelerate[4] and become intensified by the mobilisation of working-class Piedmont whites against a national Democratic Party strongly associated with black interests.[5]

After 1966 the statewide Democratic party was severely divided into conservative, moderate and liberal factions,[6] so that in addition to voting Republican in four of five presidential elections, Virginia's Congressional delegation would gain a Republican majority as early as the 91st Congress, and Linwood Holton would become the first Republican governor since the 1880s Readjuster fusion. However, it was 1970 before significant GOP gains occurred in the state legislature, and it was generally acknowledged that President Nixon offered no support to down-ballot Republican candidates.[7] As of 2020, this remains the strongest ever Republican presidential performance in Virginia.

Campaign

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Neither incumbent United States President Richard Nixon nor South Dakota Senator George McGovern of the Democratic Party campaigned in the state, which all polls had conceded to Nixon from the beginning of August.[8]

78% of white voters supported Nixon while 22% supported McGovern.[9][10]

Predictions

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Source Ranking As of
The Daily Press[8] Solid R August 9, 1972
Greensboro Daily News[11] Certain R October 8, 1972
The Miami Herald[7] Certain R October 16, 1972
Boston Sunday Globe[12] Certain R October 22, 1972
Evening Express[13] Certain R October 30, 1972
The York Dispatch[14] Safe R November 6, 1972

Analysis

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Virginia was won by Nixon with a landslide 67.84 percent of the vote. Nixon also won the national election with 60.67 percent of the vote.

In strict accordance with national trends, McGovern carried just one county or independent city in Virginia — however, that jurisdiction, Charles City County, saw McGovern receive over 67 percent of the vote, and was his fourth-strongest county in the country.[15] As of the 2024, this constitutes the last occasion the Republican Party has carried Brunswick County, Greensville County, Sussex County, and the cities of Charlottesville, Norfolk, Petersburg, Portsmouth and Richmond.[16]

However, Nixon did not win all of the electoral votes in Virginia because one of his pledged electors, Roger MacBride, instead cast his vote for Libertarian candidate John Hospers and his running mate, Tonie Nathan. Although Hospers was not on the ballot in Virginia, MacBride's vote was the first electoral vote ever cast for a female candidate (Nathan); MacBride was subsequently nominated as the Libertarian candidate for President in the next election.

Results

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1972 United States presidential election in Virginia[17]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Republican Richard Nixon (inc.) 988,493 67.84% 11
Libertarian John Hospers 0 0.00% 1
Democratic George McGovern 438,887 30.12% 0
American Independent John G. Schmitz 19,721 1.35% 0
Socialist Labor Louis Fisher 9,918 0.68% 0
Totals 1,457,019 100.00% 12

Results by county or independent city

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County/City[18] Richard Nixon
Republican 		George McGovern
Democratic 		John G. Schmitz
American Independent 		Louis Fisher
Socialist Labor 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # %
Accomack 6,496 71.97% 2,406 26.66% 108 1.20% 16 0.18% 4,090 45.31% 9,026
Albemarle 8,447 65.22% 4,303 33.23% 139 1.07% 62 0.48% 4,144 31.99% 12,951
Alexandria 20,235 55.95% 15,409 42.60% 348 0.96% 177 0.49% 4,826 13.35% 36,169
Alleghany 2,584 67.47% 1,069 27.91% 170 4.44% 7 0.18% 1,515 39.56% 3,830
Amelia 1,606 64.99% 778 31.49% 58 2.35% 29 1.17% 828 33.50% 2,471
Amherst 4,909 73.94% 1,512 22.77% 148 2.23% 70 1.05% 3,397 51.17% 6,639
Appomattox 2,788 78.20% 684 19.19% 68 1.91% 25 0.70% 2,104 59.01% 3,565
Arlington 39,406 59.36% 25,877 38.98% 830 1.25% 270 0.41% 13,529 20.38% 66,383
Augusta 9,106 81.44% 1,766 15.79% 148 1.32% 161 1.44% 7,340 65.65% 11,181
Bath 1,127 68.89% 462 28.24% 43 2.63% 4 0.24% 665 40.65% 1,636
Bedford 5,286 73.43% 1,501 20.85% 358 4.97% 54 0.75% 3,785 52.58% 7,199
Bedford City 1,407 68.20% 529 25.64% 89 4.31% 38 1.84% 878 42.56% 2,063
Bland 1,352 70.64% 527 27.53% 31 1.62% 4 0.21% 825 43.11% 1,914
Botetourt 3,806 69.44% 1,519 27.71% 121 2.21% 35 0.64% 2,287 41.73% 5,481
Bristol 2,665 68.46% 1,157 29.72% 54 1.39% 17 0.44% 1,508 38.74% 3,893
Brunswick 3,072 58.17% 2,130 40.33% 63 1.19% 16 0.30% 942 17.84% 5,281
Buchanan 4,801 56.13% 3,566 41.69% 95 1.11% 92 1.08% 1,235 14.44% 8,554
Buckingham 2,107 62.86% 1,186 35.38% 44 1.31% 15 0.45% 921 27.48% 3,352
Buena Vista 990 70.26% 373 26.47% 22 1.55% 34 2.40% 617 43.79% 1,409
Campbell 11,676 82.48% 2,055 14.52% 288 2.03% 138 0.97% 9,621 67.96% 14,157
Caroline 2,086 52.80% 1,814 45.91% 32 0.81% 19 0.48% 272 6.89% 3,951
Carroll 5,247 75.08% 1,583 22.65% 90 1.29% 69 0.99% 3,664 52.43% 6,989
Charles City 535 30.84% 1,177 67.84% 14 0.81% 9 0.52% -642 -37.00% 1,735
Charlotte 2,501 66.22% 1,182 31.29% 75 1.99% 19 0.50% 1,319 34.93% 3,777
Charlottesville 7,935 59.42% 5,240 39.24% 95 0.71% 83 0.62% 2,695 20.18% 13,353
Chesapeake 17,722 67.95% 7,289 27.95% 649 2.49% 420 1.61% 10,433 40.00% 26,080
Chesterfield 24,934 85.24% 3,823 13.07% 365 1.25% 131 0.45% 21,111 72.17% 29,253
Clarke 1,816 69.13% 715 27.22% 67 2.55% 29 1.10% 1,101 41.91% 2,627
Clifton Forge 1,127 63.17% 575 32.23% 68 3.81% 14 0.78% 552 30.94% 1,784
Colonial Heights 5,304 87.99% 541 8.97% 87 1.44% 96 1.59% 4,763 79.02% 6,028
Covington 1,910 63.71% 948 31.62% 113 3.77% 27 0.90% 962 32.09% 2,998
Craig 774 63.44% 425 34.84% 19 1.56% 2 0.16% 349 28.60% 1,220
Culpeper 3,707 72.80% 1,316 25.84% 60 1.18% 9 0.18% 2,391 46.96% 5,092
Cumberland 1,371 57.75% 969 40.82% 22 0.93% 12 0.51% 402 16.93% 2,374
Danville 12,463 73.68% 4,148 24.52% 134 0.79% 171 1.01% 8,315 49.16% 16,916
Dickenson 3,633 56.22% 2,711 41.95% 62 0.96% 56 0.87% 922 14.27% 6,462
Dinwiddie 3,314 62.47% 1,901 35.83% 74 1.39% 16 0.30% 1,413 26.64% 5,305
Emporia 1,340 68.82% 565 29.02% 18 0.92% 24 1.23% 775 39.80% 1,947
Essex 1,482 62.58% 808 34.12% 44 1.86% 34 1.44% 674 28.46% 2,368
Fairfax 112,135 66.26% 54,844 32.40% 1,764 1.04% 503 0.30% 57,291 33.86% 169,246
Fairfax City 5,063 67.73% 2,274 30.42% 118 1.58% 20 0.27% 2,789 37.31% 7,475
Falls Church 2,967 60.02% 1,895 38.34% 67 1.36% 14 0.28% 1,072 21.68% 4,943
Fauquier 4,654 67.71% 2,039 29.67% 80 1.16% 100 1.45% 2,615 38.04% 6,873
Floyd 2,444 76.11% 708 22.05% 57 1.78% 2 0.06% 1,736 54.06% 3,211
Fluvanna 1,438 67.29% 637 29.81% 23 1.08% 39 1.82% 801 37.48% 2,137
Franklin 4,674 65.74% 2,273 31.97% 145 2.04% 18 0.25% 2,401 33.77% 7,110
Franklin City 1,416 64.98% 738 33.87% 14 0.64% 11 0.50% 678 31.11% 2,179
Frederick 5,367 75.18% 1,604 22.47% 105 1.47% 63 0.88% 3,763 52.71% 7,139
Fredericksburg 3,211 64.53% 1,702 34.20% 34 0.68% 29 0.58% 1,509 30.33% 4,976
Galax 1,497 72.63% 524 25.42% 28 1.36% 12 0.58% 973 47.21% 2,061
Giles 3,671 64.34% 1,869 32.75% 78 1.37% 88 1.54% 1,802 31.59% 5,706
Gloucester 3,642 71.92% 1,292 25.51% 78 1.54% 52 1.03% 2,350 46.41% 5,064
Goochland 2,127 60.98% 1,254 35.95% 52 1.49% 55 1.58% 873 25.03% 3,488
Grayson 3,565 67.48% 1,603 30.34% 67 1.27% 48 0.91% 1,962 37.14% 5,283
Greene 1,208 78.24% 318 20.60% 15 0.97% 3 0.19% 890 57.64% 1,544
Greensville 1,608 56.05% 1,197 41.72% 46 1.60% 18 0.63% 411 14.33% 2,869
Halifax 5,469 68.71% 2,384 29.95% 77 0.97% 29 0.36% 3,085 38.76% 7,959
Hampton 21,897 65.49% 10,648 31.85% 479 1.43% 411 1.23% 11,249 33.64% 33,435
Hanover 11,095 81.20% 2,200 16.10% 237 1.73% 131 0.96% 8,895 65.10% 13,663
Harrisonburg 3,626 77.26% 992 21.14% 39 0.83% 36 0.77% 2,634 56.12% 4,693
Henrico 52,536 84.87% 8,420 13.60% 571 0.92% 377 0.61% 44,116 71.27% 61,904
Henry 7,556 62.84% 4,042 33.62% 170 1.41% 256 2.13% 3,514 29.22% 12,024
Highland 774 77.63% 206 20.66% 12 1.20% 5 0.50% 568 56.97% 997
Hopewell 5,229 75.88% 1,485 21.55% 106 1.54% 71 1.03% 3,744 54.33% 6,891
Isle of Wight 3,555 59.27% 2,305 38.43% 119 1.98% 19 0.32% 1,250 20.84% 5,998
James City 3,372 61.97% 1,992 36.61% 56 1.03% 21 0.39% 1,380 25.36% 5,441
King and Queen 1,033 58.30% 708 39.95% 10 0.56% 21 1.19% 325 18.35% 1,772
King George 1,675 70.05% 658 27.52% 34 1.42% 24 1.00% 1,017 42.53% 2,391
King William 1,839 69.14% 797 29.96% 18 0.68% 6 0.23% 1,042 39.18% 2,660
Lancaster 2,683 71.64% 1,009 26.94% 35 0.93% 18 0.48% 1,674 44.70% 3,745
Lee 4,957 62.39% 2,825 35.56% 68 0.86% 95 1.20% 2,132 26.83% 7,945
Lexington 1,345 64.98% 695 33.57% 18 0.87% 12 0.58% 650 31.41% 2,070
Loudoun 9,417 69.46% 3,941 29.07% 190 1.40% 9 0.07% 5,476 40.39% 13,557
Louisa 2,545 63.55% 1,338 33.41% 56 1.40% 66 1.65% 1,207 30.14% 4,005
Lunenburg 2,464 69.14% 1,044 29.29% 45 1.26% 11 0.31% 1,420 39.85% 3,564
Lynchburg 13,259 74.11% 4,208 23.52% 264 1.48% 159 0.89% 9,051 50.59% 17,890
Madison 1,864 73.41% 639 25.17% 24 0.95% 12 0.47% 1,225 48.24% 2,539
Martinsville 3,879 61.32% 2,292 36.23% 39 0.62% 116 1.83% 1,587 25.09% 6,326
Mathews 2,164 72.45% 730 24.44% 51 1.71% 42 1.41% 1,434 48.01% 2,987
Mecklenburg 6,381 68.55% 2,804 30.12% 106 1.14% 18 0.19% 3,577 38.43% 9,309
Middlesex 1,697 69.29% 724 29.56% 24 0.98% 4 0.16% 973 39.73% 2,449
Montgomery 9,348 70.56% 3,692 27.87% 194 1.46% 14 0.11% 5,656 42.69% 13,248
Nansemond 5,767 57.57% 3,929 39.42% 186 1.87% 84 0.84% 1,838 18.45% 9,966
Nelson 2,145 67.22% 954 29.90% 82 2.57% 10 0.31% 1,191 37.32% 3,191
New Kent 1,370 67.52% 633 31.20% 19 0.94% 7 0.34% 737 36.32% 2,029
Newport News 27,169 67.40% 12,233 30.35% 639 1.59% 271 0.67% 14,936 37.05% 40,312
Norfolk 38,385 57.97% 25,737 38.87% 1,198 1.81% 897 1.35% 12,648 19.10% 66,217
Northampton 2,587 66.45% 1,246 32.01% 53 1.36% 7 0.18% 1,341 34.44% 3,893
Northumberland 2,332 71.58% 884 27.13% 28 0.86% 14 0.43% 1,448 44.45% 3,258
Norton 823 62.68% 463 35.26% 12 0.91% 15 1.14% 360 27.42% 1,313
Nottoway 2,979 68.22% 1,308 29.95% 70 1.60% 10 0.23% 1,671 38.27% 4,367
Orange 2,758 71.28% 1,032 26.67% 42 1.09% 37 0.96% 1,726 44.61% 3,869
Page 4,326 72.34% 1,585 26.51% 61 1.02% 8 0.13% 2,741 45.83% 5,980
Patrick 2,951 73.35% 942 23.42% 100 2.49% 30 0.75% 2,009 49.93% 4,023
Petersburg 6,710 55.67% 5,156 42.78% 131 1.09% 56 0.46% 1,554 12.89% 12,053
Pittsylvania 12,108 72.34% 4,429 26.46% 174 1.04% 26 0.16% 7,679 45.88% 16,737
Portsmouth 20,090 58.49% 13,124 38.21% 760 2.21% 376 1.09% 6,966 20.28% 34,350
Powhatan 1,751 66.43% 810 30.73% 60 2.28% 15 0.57% 941 35.70% 2,636
Prince Edward 3,199 65.96% 1,585 32.68% 51 1.05% 15 0.31% 1,614 33.28% 4,850
Prince George 2,405 67.71% 1,084 30.52% 46 1.30% 17 0.48% 1,321 37.19% 3,552
Prince William 20,149 72.26% 7,266 26.06% 351 1.26% 118 0.42% 12,883 46.20% 27,884
Pulaski 6,281 72.01% 2,311 26.50% 114 1.31% 16 0.18% 3,970 45.51% 8,722
Radford 2,577 68.68% 1,121 29.88% 40 1.07% 14 0.37% 1,456 38.80% 3,752
Rappahannock 1,055 68.20% 471 30.45% 16 1.03% 5 0.32% 584 37.75% 1,547
Richmond 1,565 77.55% 435 21.56% 13 0.64% 5 0.25% 1,130 55.99% 2,018
Richmond City 46,244 57.59% 33,055 41.16% 649 0.81% 354 0.44% 13,189 16.43% 80,302
Roanoke 19,920 77.28% 5,318 20.63% 474 1.84% 66 0.26% 14,602 56.65% 25,778
Roanoke City 18,541 64.67% 9,498 33.13% 537 1.87% 95 0.33% 9,043 31.54% 28,671
Rockbridge 3,009 74.28% 956 23.60% 62 1.53% 24 0.59% 2,053 50.68% 4,051
Rockingham 10,025 81.67% 2,026 16.51% 143 1.16% 81 0.66% 7,999 65.16% 12,275
Russell 5,010 58.93% 3,367 39.60% 71 0.84% 54 0.64% 1,643 19.33% 8,502
Salem 5,649 74.79% 1,744 23.09% 136 1.80% 24 0.32% 3,905 51.70% 7,553
Scott 5,125 66.18% 2,474 31.95% 81 1.05% 64 0.83% 2,651 34.23% 7,744
Shenandoah 7,128 82.46% 1,422 16.45% 78 0.90% 16 0.19% 5,706 66.01% 8,644
Smyth 6,409 72.27% 2,280 25.71% 82 0.92% 97 1.09% 4,129 46.56% 8,868
South Boston 1,865 71.59% 709 27.22% 7 0.27% 24 0.92% 1,156 44.37% 2,605
Southampton 3,225 67.09% 1,498 31.16% 66 1.37% 18 0.37% 1,727 35.93% 4,807
Spotsylvania 3,577 65.73% 1,775 32.62% 75 1.38% 15 0.28% 1,802 33.11% 5,442
Stafford 5,222 72.39% 1,901 26.35% 83 1.15% 8 0.11% 3,321 46.04% 7,214
Staunton 5,531 78.25% 1,416 20.03% 33 0.47% 88 1.25% 4,115 58.22% 7,068
Suffolk 2,137 69.54% 898 29.22% 29 0.94% 9 0.29% 1,239 40.32% 3,073
Surry 1,067 50.40% 988 46.67% 27 1.28% 35 1.65% 79 3.73% 2,117
Sussex 2,120 54.99% 1,645 42.67% 43 1.12% 47 1.22% 475 12.32% 3,855
Tazewell 7,233 67.81% 3,181 29.82% 107 1.00% 146 1.37% 4,052 37.99% 10,667
Virginia Beach 38,074 76.56% 10,373 20.86% 837 1.68% 449 0.90% 27,701 55.70% 49,733
Warren 3,718 69.40% 1,508 28.15% 63 1.18% 68 1.27% 2,210 41.25% 5,357
Washington 8,805 72.70% 3,028 25.00% 123 1.02% 155 1.28% 5,777 47.70% 12,111
Waynesboro 4,163 77.75% 1,061 19.82% 72 1.34% 58 1.08% 3,102 57.93% 5,354
Westmoreland 2,331 66.00% 1,113 31.51% 27 0.76% 61 1.73% 1,218 34.49% 3,532
Williamsburg 1,786 57.46% 1,274 40.99% 29 0.93% 19 0.61% 512 16.47% 3,108
Winchester 4,647 75.55% 1,418 23.05% 55 0.89% 31 0.50% 3,229 52.50% 6,151
Wise 6,739 59.94% 4,402 39.16% 79 0.70% 22 0.20% 2,337 20.78% 11,242
Wythe 4,553 73.96% 1,431 23.25% 70 1.14% 102 1.66% 3,122 50.71% 6,156
York 7,745 74.90% 2,302 22.26% 211 2.04% 83 0.80% 5,443 52.64% 10,341
Totals 988,493 67.84% 438,887 30.12% 19,721 1.35% 9,918 0.68% 549,606 37.72% 1,457,019

Counties and independent cities that flipped from Democratic to Republican

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Counties and independent cities that flipped from American Independent to Republican

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[19][20]

Notes

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  1. ^ A faithless Republican elector voted for the Libertarian ticket: Hospers–Nathan

References

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  1. ^ Kousser, J. Morgan. The Shaping of Southern Politics Suffrage Restriction and the Establishment of the One-Party South, 1880-1910. Yale University Press. pp. 178–181. ISBN 0-300-01696-4.
  2. ^ Key, Valdimer Orlando (1949). Southern Politics in State and Nation. pp. 20–25.
  3. ^ Ely, James W. The crisis of conservative Virginia: the Byrd organization and the politics of massive resistance. p. 16. ISBN 0870491881.
  4. ^ Atkinson, Frank B. (2006). The Dynamic Dominion: Realignment and the Rise of Two-party Competition in Virginia, 1945-1980. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780742552098.
  5. ^ Phillips, Kevin P. (1969). The Emerging Republican Majority. pp. 260–266. ISBN 0870000586.
  6. ^ Bass, Jack; De Vries, Walter (1995). The Transformation of Southern Politics: Social Change and Political Consequence Since 1945. pp. 347–353.
  7. ^ a b Evans, Rowland; Novak, Robert (October 16, 1972). "Consider Virginia: McGovern, Nixon Creating a No-Party System in South". The Miami Herald. pp. 7-A.
  8. ^ a b "Godwin's Legion for Nixon". The Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. August 9, 1972. p. 4.
  9. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 295.
  10. ^ Black & Black 1992, p. 335.
  11. ^ Apple (jr), R.W. (October 8, 1972). "All the Signs Point to Nixon: Great Election Sweep Almost Within Grasp". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, North Carolina. p. 1.
  12. ^ Broder, David S (October 22, 1972). "Politics from Maine to Hawaii: State-by-State Rundown of 1972 Election Scene". Boston Sunday Globe. pp. A-5, A-8.
  13. ^ "Nixon Holds 26 Point Lead, Poll Reveals". Evening Express. Portland, Maine. October 30, 1972. p. 25.
  14. ^ Biossat, Bruce (November 6, 1972). "Poll Indicates Possible Record: Signs Point to Nixon Sweep". The York Dispatch. York, Pennsylvania. p. 32.
  15. ^ "1972 Presidential Election Statistics". David Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  16. ^ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  17. ^ "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives. pp. 45 & 46.
  18. ^ "VA US President Race, November 07 1972". Our Campaigns.
  19. ^ "1972 Presidential General Election Results - Virginia". Dave Leip's election atlas.
  20. ^ "1968 Presidential General Election Results - Virginia". Dave Leip's election atlas.

Works cited

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