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1972 United States Senate election in West Virginia

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1972 United States Senate election in West Virginia

← 1966 November 7, 1972 1978 →
 
Nominee Jennings Randolph Louise Leonard
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 486,310 245,531
Percentage 66.45% 33.55%

County results
Randolph:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Leonard:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Jennings Randolph
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Jennings Randolph
Democratic

The 1972 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 7, 1972. West Virginia was one of fifteen states alongside Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and South Dakota that were won by Republican President Richard Nixon in 1972 that elected a Democrat to the United States Senate. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph was re-elected to a fourth term and a third full term defeating Louise Leonard in a landslide. This was the only United States Senate election in West Virginia that Jennings Randolph had won by more than 60% of the vote.

Primary elections

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Democratic primary

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Candidate

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Results

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Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennings Randolph (incumbent) 295,017 100.00%

Republican primary

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Candidate

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  • Louise Leonard, incumbent State Senator

Results

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Republican Party primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Louise Leonard 112,814 100.00%

General election

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Results

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General election results[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jennings Randolph (incumbent) 486,310 66.45 Increase5.94
Republican Louise Leonard 245,531 33.55 Decrease6.95
Total votes 731,841 100.00%
Democratic hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "1972 Primary Election – Official Returns of the Democratic Party" (PDF). West Virginia Secretary of State. pp. 3–4. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  2. ^ "1972 Primary Election – Official Returns of the Republican Party" (PDF). West Virginia Secretary of State. pp. 1–2. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  3. ^ "Our Campaigns - WV US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1972". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  4. ^ "1972 General Election – Official Election Returns" (PDF). West Virginia Secretary of State. pp. 4–5. Retrieved May 30, 2021.