The 1972 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Democratic incumbent Cal Rampton defeated Republican nominee Nicholas L. Strike with 69.69% of the vote. Rampton's victory was despite incumbent Republican president Richard Nixon winning the state with over 67% of the vote in the concurrent presidential election.[1]
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 County results Rampton: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Strike: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Campaign
editIt is suggested that Rampton, as a moderate Democrat, was acceptable enough to Utah's Republican Party that in both the 1968 and 1972 elections, they put forward only token candidates.[2] By October 1972, Rampton was seen as very likely to win, with his election appearing "assured" according to The New York Times.[3]
General election
editCandidates
edit- Cal Rampton, incumbent Governor (Democratic)
- Nicholas L. Strike, former Navy officer, former Mormon Church leader, and President of the Utah Manufacturer's Association from 1968 to 1969 (Republican)
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Cal Rampton (incumbent) | 331,998 | 69.69% | ||
| Republican | Nicholas L. Strike | 144,449 | 30.31% | ||
| Majority | 187,549 | 39.38 | |||
| Turnout | 476,447 | ||||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
References
edit
- ^ "1972 Presidential General Election Results – Utah". Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "RAMPTON, CALVIN L." Utah History Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
- ^ Warren Weaver Jr. (October 15, 1972). "THE 1972 CAMPAIGN". The New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
- ^ "UT Governor". Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 4, 2020.