The 1972 United States Senate election in Michigan was held on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator and Senate Minority Whip Robert P. Griffin ran for re-election to a second term, won reelection defeating the Democratic candidate, and Michigan Attorney General Frank J. Kelley by 6%. Despite President Richard Nixon’s landslide victory in Michigan and the rest of the country, Griffin’s margin of victory decreased from the previous election.
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 County results Griffin: 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Kelley: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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As of 2024, this was the last time that the Republicans have won Michigan’s Class 2 Senate seat, as well as the last time that a member of the party has been re-elected to either of the state’s Senate seats.
General election
editCandidates
edit- Thomas D. Dennis Jr. (Communist)
- Patrick V. Dillinger (American Independent)
- Robert P. Griffin, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1967 (Republican)
- Barbara Halpert (Human Rights)
- Frank J. Kelley, Michigan Attorney General (Democratic)
- Linda Norquist (Socialist Workers)
- James Sim (Socialist Labor)
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Robert P. Griffin (incumbent) | 1,781,065 | 52.28% |  3.62
| |
| Democratic | Frank J. Kelley | 1,577,178 | 46.29% |  2.44
| |
| American Independent | Patrick V. Dillinger | 23,121 | 0.68% | N/A | |
| Human Rights | Barbara Halpert | 19,118 | 0.56% | N/A | |
| Socialist Workers | Linda Norquist | 2,389 | 0.07% | N/A | |
| Socialist Labor | James Sim | 2,127 | 0.06% | 0.19
| |
| Communist | Thomas D. Dennis Jr. | 1,908 | 0.06% | N/A | |
| Total votes | 3,406,906 | 100.00% | |||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Parker, Randy; crickets chirp (July 7, 2003). "Our Campaigns: MI U.S. Senate". Our Campaigns.
- ^ Clerk of the United States House of Representatives (1973). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1972" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.