1972 United States Senate election in South Dakota

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

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 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2004 2008 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2008 2016 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1889 1891 1894 1897 1901 1903 1903 sp 1907 1909 1913 1914 1918 1920 1924 1926 1930 1932 1936 1938 1938 sp 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 U.S. House elections 1889 1890 1891 AL sp 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 AL sp 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 AL sp 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
State government General elections 2010 2014 2018 2020 2022 Gubernatorial elections 1889 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Secretary of State elections 2022 Attorney General elections 2018 2022 Senate elections 2020 2022 House of Representatives elections 2020 2022
Ballot measures 2006 Amendment C 2008 Measure 9 Measure 10 2020 Amendment A Measure 26 2024 Amendment E Amendment G Amendment H
Sioux Falls City elections 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Mayoral elections 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Rapid City City elections 2020 2022 2024 2026 Mayoral elections 2022
Pierre City elections 2020 2022 2024 2026 Mayoral elections 2022
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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.

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 were held on June 6, 1972.

• James Abourezk, incumbent U.S. Representative for South Dakota's 2nd congressional district
• George Blue, former State Senator^[2] and unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota in 1968

• Robert W. Hirsch, former South Dakota Senate Majority Leader^[7]
• Chuck Lien, businessman^[2]
• Gordon J. Mydland, incumbent Attorney General of South Dakota
• Tom Reardon, banker^[2]
• Kenneth D. Stofferahn, farmer^[2]

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]

• Robert W. Hirsch (R)
• James Abourezk (D)

• 1972 United States Senate elections

• 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.

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