From March 7 to June 6, 1972, voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for president in the 1972 United States presidential election. Incumbent President Richard Nixon was again selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1972 Republican National Convention held from August 21 to August 23, 1972, in Miami, Florida.
Candidates
Nominee CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaign Withdrawal datePopular voteContests won Running mateRichard NixonPresident of the United States(1969–1974)California(Campaign)Secured nomination: August 23, 19725,378,704(86.9%)18 Spiro Agnew
Withdrew during primaries CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaign Withdrawal datePopular voteContests wonJohn M. AshbrookU.S. Representative from Ohio(1961–1982)Ohio311,543(5.0%)0Pete McCloskeyU.S. Representative from California(1967–1983)California132,731(2.1%)0
Endorsements
Cabinet Members David Packard, United States Deputy Secretary of Defense (1969–1971) William P. Rogers, United States Secretary of State (1969–1973) Senators Bob Dole (R-KS) Jacob Javits (R-NY) Charles H. Percy (R-IL) Former Representatives William M. Tuck, (D-VA) Governors William T. Cahill (R-NJ) Thomas Meskill (R-CT) Richard B. Ogilvie (R-IL)
Ronald Reagan (R-CA) Nelson Rockefeller (R-NY) Former Governors C. Farris Bryant, (D-FL) John Connally, (D-TX) Mills Godwin, (D-VA) Marvin Griffin, (D-GA) Allan Shivers, (D-TX) John Bell Williams, (D-MS) Celebrities Jack Benny, comedian Joan Blondell, actress James Brown, singer Jim Brown, football player Ray Bolger, actor Nick Buoniconti, football player George Burns, comedian Glen Campbell, musician Wilt Chamberlain, basketball player Christopher Connelly, actor Sammy Davis Jr., singer and actor Zsa Zsa Gabor, actress Johnny Grant, radio personality Merv Griffin, television personality George Hamilton, actor Charlton Heston, actor Bob Hope, comedian Art Linkletter, radio personality Dick Martin, comedian Mary Tyler Moore, actress Merlin Olsen, football player Debbie Reynolds, actress Dan Rowan, actor Gale Sayers, football player Frank Sinatra, singer Red Skelton, entertainer James Stewart, actor Howard Twilley, football player John Wayne, actor
Polling National polling Poll sourcePublicationGallupFeb. 19725%6%83%
Overview of the race Nixon was a popular incumbent president in 1972, as he seemed to have reached détente with China and the USSR. He shrugged off the first glimmers of what, after the election, because of the massive Watergate scandal.
Polls showed that Nixon had a strong lead. He was challenged by two minor candidates, liberal congressman Pete McCloskey of California and conservative congressman John Ashbrook of Ohio. McCloskey ran as an anti-Vietnam war candidate dedicated to a much more clearly liberal position compared to Nixon's ambiguity approach within the party, while Ashbrook was dedicated to a much more clearly conservative position than Nixon and opposed Nixon's détente policies towards China and the Soviet Union. In the New Hampshire primary, McCloskey's platform of peace garnered 19.7% of the vote to Nixon's 67.9%, with Ashbrook receiving 10.9% and comedian Pat Paulsen receiving 1.1%. Having previously stated that he would withdraw from the race had he not achieved 20% of the vote, McCloskey did so.
Nixon won 1,347 of the 1,348 delegates to the GOP convention, with McCloskey receiving the vote of one delegate from New Mexico.
Timeline of the race
March 7
March 14
March 21
April 4
April 25
May 2
May 4
May 6
May 9
May 16
May 23
June 6
Results by popular vote
See also 1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries
References