1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries

From January 24 to June 20, 1972, voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for president in the 1972 United States presidential election. Senator George McGovern of South Dakota was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections, caucuses, and state party conventions, culminating in the 1972 Democratic National Convention held from July 10 to July 13, 1972, in Miami, Florida.

1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries

← 1968 January 24 to June 20, 1972 1976 →
3,014 delegates to the Democratic National Convention 1,508 (majority) votes needed to win
Candidate George McGovern George Wallace Hubert Humphrey Home state South Dakota Alabama Minnesota Delegate count 1,319.55 371 345.85 Contests won 16 7 5 Popular vote 4,053,451 3,755,424 4,121,372 Percentage 25.00% 23.17% 25.42%   Candidate Edmund Muskie Henry M. Jackson Terry Sanford Home state Maine Washington North Carolina Delegate count 172.5 52 28 Contests won 5 1 0 Popular vote 1,840,217 505,198 331,415 Percentage 11.34% 3.11% 2.04%   Candidate Wilbur Mills Shirley Chisholm Home state Arkansas New York Delegate count 28 22 Contests won 1 1 Popular vote 37,401 430,703 Percentage 0.23% 2.66%
First place by first-instance vote First place by delegate allocation First place by convention roll call      McGovern      Humphrey      Wallace      Muskie      Jackson      Mills      Chisholm      Uncommitted
Previous Democratic nominee Hubert Humphrey Democratic nominee George McGovern

Background

1968 election

Main articles: 1968 Democratic Party presidential primaries and 1968 United States presidential election

The 1968 election was one of the most eventful and influential in the history of the Democratic Party. The primaries were contested by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Senator Eugene McCarthy, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. In a shock, McCarthy forced the incumbent president out of the race early by his strong showing in the New Hampshire primary. Kennedy joined the race soon thereafter, and the two ran on their opposition to Johnson's handling of the Vietnam War. They traded primary victories until Kennedy was assassinated in June.

Although Kennedy and McCarthy contested the popular elections, most of the delegates in 1968 were not popularly elected. Thus, with Kennedy dead and McCarthy lacking support from the party establishment, Johnson's vice president Hubert H. Humphrey was easily nominated on the first ballot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Humphrey's nomination, the continuing Vietnam War, and the generally closed nature of the nomination process drew massive protests to Chicago; the convention was generally seen as a major embarrassment for the party, and Humphrey was narrowly defeated in the general election by Richard Nixon.

McGovern-Fraser Commission

Main article: McGovern–Fraser Commission

In response to the 1968 debacle, party leadership established a twenty-eight member committee selected by Senator Fred R. Harris to reform the presidential nomination process for 1972. The committee was led by Senator George McGovern and Representative Donald M. Fraser. After less than nine months, the committee delivered its guidelines.

The committee focused on two main principles: uniformity and equity. Guidelines required states adopt uniform, explicit delegate selection rules and weight the delegate allocation in favor of politically marginalized groups (women, blacks and those under the age of 30), including the use of quotas.

In general, the state parties complied with the McGovern-Fraser guidelines by adopting the use of primary elections, rather than delegate selection caucuses or conventions. Thus, the 1972 Democratic nomination is typically considered the first modern presidential primary campaign.^{[citation needed][according to whom?]} Harris and McGovern, having played a direct role in the reforms and having a detailed knowledge of their impact, were seen to gain an advantage as potential candidates for the nomination.

Nixon administration and 1970 midterm elections

See also: Presidency of Richard Nixon and 1970 United States elections

As 1972 approached, President Richard Nixon faced uncertain re-election prospects. Nixon had been elected on a platform to end American involvement in Vietnam, but his strategy of gradual "Vietnamization" had proceeded more slowly than planned. The Paris Peace Talks had bogged down, dimming hopes for a negotiated settlement to the war. In fact, Nixon had widened the conflict by invading Cambodia in 1970, a move that ignited criticism in the press and Congress and widespread disorder on college campuses, including the Kent State shootings in May 1970.

On the domestic front, a sharp recession had shaken investor confidence, and Nixon's plan to control inflation with wage and price controls had failed to meet its objective. The administration's attempt to steer a middle course on desegregation busing and affirmative action had displeased liberals and conservatives alike.

In the 1970 midterm elections, Democrats gained a dozen seats in the House, although their Senate majority was reduced by three seats. Their main success was not in Congress, however, but the states. Eleven different Democratic governors were elected to seats held by Republicans and not a single incumbent Democrat lost re-election.

Pre-primary maneuvering

Given Nixon's apparent weakness and the novel use of the primary system, a large field of credible Democratic challengers emerged. 14 Democrats sought their party's nomination^[a] the largest field of candidates until it was surpassed by 16 candidates in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries^[1] and then 29 candidates in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries.^[2]

Early speculation surrounded Senator Ted Kennedy, the brother of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy who had contested the 1968 nomination. He ruled himself out early in 1971, but nevertheless continued to lead in opinion polling. In the event of a brokered convention, some believed Kennedy could emerge as the consensus nominee. Kennedy supporters took key positions on a number of presidential campaigns, strengthening his odds of gaining the candidates' support in the event they could not secure the required delegates.^[3]

With Kennedy out, the establishment favorite for the Democratic nomination was Edmund Muskie,^[4] a moderate senator who had acquitted himself well as Humphrey's running mate in 1968. In August 1971 polling amid a growing economic crisis, Muskie led Nixon.^[4]

U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm from Queens, New York, announced her candidacy in January 1972,^[5] making her the first black candidate to contest a major party's nomination for president.^[5][b] Chisholm was also the first woman to run for the Democratic presidential nomination; she was later joined by Patsy Mink of Hawaii.^[c]

Candidates

The following politicians stood as candidates for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination:

Nominee

Candidate			Most recent office	Home state	Campaign Withdrawal date	Popular vote	Contests won	Running mate		Ref.
George McGovern			U.S. Senator from South Dakota (1963–1981)	South Dakota	(Campaign) Secured nomination: July 13, 1972	4,053,451 (25.3%)	14	Sargent Shriver[d]		[6][7][8]

Other major candidates

These candidates participated in multiple state primaries or were included in multiple major national polls.

Candidate			Most recent office	Home state	Campaign Withdrawal date	Ref.
Hubert Humphrey			U.S. Senator from Minnesota (1949–1964; 1971–1978) Vice President of the United States (1965–1969)	Minnesota	(Campaign) Declared: January 10, 1972	[6][7][9]
George Wallace			Governor of Alabama (1963–1967; 1971–1979; 1983–1987)	Alabama	(Campaign) Declared: January 13, 1972	[6][7][10]
Edmund Muskie			U.S. Senator from Maine (1959–1980)	Maine	(Campaign) Declared: January 4, 1972 Suspended campaign: April 27, 1972	[6][7][11][12]
Henry M. Jackson	Scoop_Jackson_campaigning_in_1976_(cropped)		U.S. Senator from Washington (1953–1983)	Washington	(Campaign) Declared: November 19, 1971 Suspended campaign: May 2, 1972	[6][7][13][14]
Wilbur Mills			U.S. Representative from Arkansas (1939–1977)	Arkansas	(Campaign) Declared: February 11, 1972	[6][7][15]
Shirley Chisholm			U.S. Representative from New York (1969–1983)	New York	(Campaign) Declared: January 25, 1972	[6][7][16]
Terry Sanford			Governor of North Carolina (1961–1965)	North Carolina	(Campaign) Declared: March 8, 1972	[6][7][17]
John Lindsay			Mayor of New York City (1966–1973)	New York	(Campaign) Declared: December 28, 1971 Withdrew: April 4, 1972	[6][7][18][19]
Eugene McCarthy			U.S. Senator from Minnesota (1959–1971)	Minnesota	(Campaign) Declared: December 17, 1971	[6][7][20]
Sam Yorty			Mayor of Los Angeles (1961–1973)	California	(Campaign) Declared: November 16, 1971 Withdrew: June 5, 1972 (endorsed Humphrey)	[6][7][21][22]
Vance Hartke			U.S. Senator from Indiana (1964–1973)	Indiana	(Campaign) Declared: January 3, 1972 Withdrew: March 26, 1972 (endorsed Humphrey)	[6][7][23]
Patsy Mink			U.S. Representative from Hawaii (1965–1977)	Hawaii	(Campaign) Declared: October 19, 1971 Withdrew: May 24, 1972	[6][7][24][25]
Fred Harris			U.S. Senator from Oklahoma (1964–1973)	Oklahoma	(Campaign) Declared: September 24, 1971 Withdrew: November 10, 1971 (endorsed McGovern on April 27)	[6][7][26][27][28]

Declined

• Birch Bayh, U.S. Senator from Indiana (declined October 12, 1971)^[29]
• Harold Hughes, U.S. Senator from Iowa (declined July 15, 1971)^[30]
• William Proxmire, U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (declined November 6, 1971; endorsed McGovern on March 31)^[31][32]

Favorite sons

• Walter Fauntroy, Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the District of Columbia^[33]
• Wayne Hays, U.S. Representative from Ohio^[34]
• Carl Stokes, Mayor of Cleveland^[34]

Polling

National polling

View source data.

Poll source	Publication	Birch Bayh	Shirley Chisholm	J. William Fulbright	Fred Harris	Harold Hughes	Hubert Humphrey	John Lindsay	Scoop Jackson	Ted Kennedy	Mike Mansfield	Eugene McCarthy	George McGovern	Wilbur Mills	Edmund Muskie	William Proxmire	George Wallace	Sam Yorty
Gallup	Jan. 1969	—	—	—	—	—	21%	—	—	45%	—	15%	3%	—	17%	—	—	—
Gallup	Oct. 1969	—	—	—	—	—	29%	—	—	27%	—	10%	5%	—	24%	—	—	—
Gallup	May. 1970	—	—	—	1%	1%	16%	10%	—	17%	—	9%	3%	—	23%	—	—	—
Gallup	Nov. 1970	—	—	—	—	—	16%	4%	—	31%	1%	6%	2%	—	33%	2%	—	—
Gallup	Feb. 1971	—	—	—	—	—	21%	5%	—	25%	—	4%	5%	—	26%	—	—	—
Gallup	Apr. 1971	1%	—	1%	—	1%	18%	4%	2%	29%	2%	3%	5%	1%	21%	2%	—	—
Gallup	Apr. 1971	1%	—	1%	—	1%	18%	4%	2%	29%	2%	3%	5%	1%	21%	2%	—	—
Gallup	Jul. 1971	2%	—	1%	—	1%	18%	3%	2%	22%	1%	6%	5%	1%	22%	1%	—	—
Gallup	Aug. 1971	—	—	—	—	—	13%	6%	—	26%	—	4%	6%	—	22%	—	—	—
Harris[35]	Sep. 1971	—	—	—	1%	—	16%	7%	2%	26%	—	5%	4%	2%	19%	1%	—	—
		—	—	—	1%	—	27%	11%	2%	—	—	7%	5%	2%	27%	2%	—	—
Gallup	Nov. 1971	—	—	—	—	—	19%	4%	6%	29%	—	5%	6%	—	24%	—	—	—
Harris[36]	Nov. 1971	—	—	—	—	—	15%	9%	2%	25%	—	3%	5%	1%	22%	1%	—	1%
		—	—	—	—	—	25%	12%	2%	—	—	4%	6%	2%	27%	2%	—	1%
Gallup	Dec. 1971	—	—	—	—	—	19%	4%	4%	32%	—	4%	5%	—	25%	—	—	1%
		—	—	—	—	—	34%	8%	5%	—	—	5%	8%	—	31%	—	—	1%
Gallup	Jan. 1972	—	2%	—	—	—	17%	5%	2%	27%	—	5%	3%	—	32%	—	—	2%
		—	2%	—	—	—	29%	7%	3%	—	—	8%	3%	—	39%	—	—	2%
Harris[37]	Jan. 1972	—	3%	—	—	—	23%	7%	5%	—	—	6%	5%	—	30%	—	—	1%
Gallup	Feb. 1972	—	2%	—	—	—	23%	2%	3%	24%	—	3%	5%	—	29%	—	—	1%
		—	3%	—	—	—	32%	5%	4%	—	—	4%	6%	—	35%	—	—	1%
Harris[38]	Feb. 1972	—	5%	—	—	—	18%	6%	4%	15%	—	5%	5%	—	22%	—	11%	1%
		—	6%	—	—	—	21%	7%	3%	—	—	5%	8%	—	28%	—	12%	1%
Gallup	Mar. 1972	—	2%	—	—	—	31%	7%	3%	—	—	5%	6%	2%	23%	—	15%	*
		—	3%	—	—	—	35%	8%	5%	—	—	6%	7%	2%	28%	—	—	1%
Gallup	Mar. 1972	—	4%	—	—	—	31%	5%	5%	—	—	4%	5%	1%	22%	—	17%	*
Gallup	Apr. 1972	—	5%	—	—	—	30%	—	4%	—	—	3%	17%	1%	17%	—	19%	1%
Gallup	May 1972	—	3%	—	—	—	35%	—	3%	—	—	3%	20%	2%	11%	—	18%	—
Gallup	May 1972	—	—	—	—	—	26%	—	—	—	—	—	25%	—	—	—	26%	—
Gallup	Jun. 1972	—	3%	—	—	—	27%	—	3%	—	—	2%	30%	1%	6%	—	25%	—

Primary campaign

Hubert Humphrey made another run at the nomination, in an era when previous nominees were considered legitimate contenders even after losing a general election (Adlai Stevenson had been successful at being re-nominated by Democrats in 1956, and Nixon by the GOP in 1968). He fell just short in delegates, despite winning the popular vote in the 24 states and the District of Columbia which held preference primary and caucus elections open to the rank and file Democratic voter. His bid to contest the results of the California winner-take-all primary failed. Humphrey, like Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson, was considered the favorite of the party establishment after Muskie's withdrawal.

Alabama governor George Wallace, with his "outsider" image, did well in the South (he won every county in the Florida primary with the exception of Miami-Dade)^[39] and among alienated and dissatisfied voters. What might have become a forceful campaign was cut short when Wallace was shot while campaigning, and left paralyzed in an assassination attempt by Arthur Bremer.

Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Wilbur Mills was drafted by friends and fellow Congressmen to make himself available as a candidate for the primaries. To position himself to appeal to senior citizens during the 1972 presidential campaign, Mills championed the automatic Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) to Social Security. He was not strong in the primaries and won 33 votes for president from the delegates at the 1972 Democratic National Convention which nominated Senator George McGovern.

Washington Senator Scoop Jackson was little known nationally when he first ran for president in 1972. McGovern accused Jackson of racism for his opposition to busing. Jackson's high point in the campaign was a distant third in the early Florida primary, but he failed to stand out of the pack of better-known rivals, and only made real news later in the campaign as part of the "Anybody but McGovern" coalition, that raised what would be known as the "Acid, Amnesty and Abortion" questions about McGovern. Jackson suspended active campaigning in May after a weak showing in the Ohio primary. Jackson did re-emerge at the August Democratic convention after runner-up Humphrey dropped out of the race. Jackson's name was placed in nomination by Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter, and he finished second in the delegate roll call, well behind nominee McGovern.^[40][41]

March 7: New Hampshire

Prior to the New Hampshire primary, the "Canuck Letter" was published in the Manchester Union-Leader. The letter (later revealed to have been forged as part of the "dirty tricks" campaign by Nixon staffers)^[42] claimed that Muskie had made disparaging remarks about French-Canadians. The paper subsequently published an attack on Muskie's wife Jane, reporting that she drank and used off-color language. Muskie made an emotional defense of his wife in a speech outside the newspaper's offices during a snowstorm. Though Muskie later stated that what had appeared to the press as tears were actually melted snowflakes, the press reported that Muskie broke down and cried.^[43] Muskie did worse than expected in the primary, while McGovern came in a surprisingly close second. McGovern now had the momentum, which was well orchestrated by his campaign manager, Gary Hart.

May 15–16: Attempted Wallace assassination, Maryland, and Michigan

Main article: Attempted assassination of George Wallace

While campaigning in Laurel, Maryland, on May 15, 1972, Wallace was shot five times by Arthur Bremer. Three others wounded in the shooting also survived. Bremer's diary, published after his arrest as a book titled An Assassin's Diary, showed that Bremer's assassination attempt was not motivated by politics, but by a desire for fame, and that President Nixon had been a possible target. The assassination attempt left Wallace paralyzed for the rest of his life, as one of the bullets had lodged in his spinal column.

As a result of the shooting, President Nixon dispatched Secret Service protection to Representatives Shirley Chisholm and Wilbur Mills (two candidates who had not been assigned Secret Service details up to then) as well as Senator Ted Kennedy (though not running, because of his brothers John and Robert having been assassinated).^[44]

Following the shooting, Wallace won the May 16 primaries in Maryland and Michigan. Wallace spoke at the Democratic National Convention from his wheelchair in Miami on July 11, 1972. Bremer was sentenced to 53 years in prison for the shooting. He served 35 years of the sentence and was released on parole on November 9, 2007.

In a widely noted 1992 article, journalist Seymour Hersh claimed that secret recordings of Nixon prove that, within hours of the assassination attempt, the president and a top aide dispatched a political operative, E. Howard Hunt, who rushed to Milwaukee with plans to surreptitiously enter Bremer's apartment and plant the campaign literature of Democratic contender George McGovern.^[45] According to Hersh, Hunt aborted the operation because the FBI had sealed off Bremer's apartment prior to his arrival However, a 2007 analysis of the Nixon tapes by the History News Network did not turn up any evidence of the clandestine operation described by Hersh. While the tapes did show that Nixon had instructed presidential aide Charles W. Colson to anonymously spread the false rumor that there was "unmistakable evidence" that Bremer had been "a supporter of McGovern and Kennedy", there was no apparent trace of Nixon tasking subordinates with entering Bremer's apartment to plant Democratic campaign materials.^[46]

Endorsements

George McGovern
McGovern had received endorsements from: Executive Branch Officials Department of State Officials John Galbraith, U.S. Ambassador to India(1961-1963)[47] U.S. Senators Current Fred R. Harris, U.S. Senator for Oklahoma (1964-1973)[48] William Proxmire, U.S. Senator for Wisconsin (1957-1989)[49] Abraham Ribicoff, U.S. Senator for Connecticut (1963-1981)[48] Former Ernest Gruening, U.S. Senator for Alaska (1959-1969)[50] U.S. Representatives Current James Abourezk, U.S. Representative for SD-02 (1971-1973)[51] John Conyers,[e] U.S. Representative for MI-01 (1965-1993)[52] Ron Dellums, U.S. Representative for CA-07 (1971-1975)[53] Frank Denholm, U.S. Representative for SD-01 (1971-1975)[54] Robert Drinan, U.S. Representative for MA-03 (1971-1973)[55] Pete McCloskey, U.S. Representative for CA-11 (Republican) (1967-1973)[56] Former Richard Ottinger, U.S. Representative for NY-25 (1965-1971)[55] Governors Current Richard Kneip, Governor of South Dakota (1971-1978)[57] State Executive Officials Current Lieutenant Governors William Dougherty, Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota (1971-1975)[57] Treasurers Charles Smith, State Treasurer of Wisconsin[58] State Representatives Current California Willie Brown, 18th District (1965-1974)[59] Kenneth Cory, 69th District (1967-1974)[60] Robert Crown, 14th District (1957-1973)[60] John Dunlap, 5th District (1967-1974)[60] Kenneth A. Meade, 16th District (1971-1974)[60] John Vasconcellos, 24th District (1967-1974)[60] Florida Sandy D'Alemberte, 98th District (1967-1972)[61] Georgia Julian Bond, 111th District (1965-1973)[52] New York Oliver Koppell, 84th District (1970-1982)[62] Local and county officials Current Executive Officials Robert Abrams, Bronx Borough President[63] Legislative Officials Eldon Clingan, New York City Councilman, At-Large District (1970-1973)[64] Matthew Troy, New York City Councilman, 5th District (1964-1977)[65] Party Officials Current State Party Officials James Guffey, Chair of the South Dakota Democratic Party[57] Cliff Larson, Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party[48] Former State Party Officials Alfred Catalfo, Chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party[66] Business Leaders Robert Bernstein, President of Random House[67] Max Palevsky, Venture Capitalist [67] Eli Sagan, President of New York Girl Coat Co.[67] Business Leaders Robert Bernstein, President of Random House[67] Freddie Fields, Co-Founder of Creative Management Associates[68] Max Palevsky, Venture Capitalist [67] Eli Sagan, President of New York Girl Coat Co.[67] Robert Townsend, Former President of Avis[69] Political Operatives Patrick Caddell[70] Gary Hart[70] Dave Hoeh [71] Frank Mankiewicz[72] Actors Jack Albertson, Actor, Comedian and Singer[69] Alan Arkin, Actor and Director[69] Warren Beatty, Actor[73] Polly Bergen, Actress[68] Red Buttons, Actor and Comedian[69] Julie Christie, Actress[73] Mike Connors, Actor[69] Tony Curtis, Actor[69] Britt Ekland, Actress[68] Anthony Franciosa, Actor[69] Ben Gazzara, Actor and Director[69] Elliott Gould, Actor[69] Tammy Grimes, Actress[69] Gene Hackman, Actor[74] Julie Harris, Actress[69] Dustin Hoffman, Actor[69] Marsha Hunt, Actress[69] Jane Fonda, Actress[74] James Earl Jones, Actor[69] Goldie Hawn, Actress[68] Elia Kazan, Director[69] Sally Kellerman, Actress[69] Gene Kelly, Actor and Singer[69] Eartha Kitt, Actress[69] Jack Klugman, Actor[69] Burt Lancaster, Actor[73] Jack Lemmon, Actor[74] Shirley MacLaine, Actress[73] Karl Malden, Actor[69] Fredric March, Actor[69] Walter Matthau, Actor, Director and Comedian[69] Elaine May, Actress, Comedian and Playwright[69] Vera Miles, Actress[69] Rita Moreno, Actress and Singer[69] Robert Morse, Actor[69] Paul Newman, Actor and Director[69] Mike Nichols, Actor and Director[73] Jack Nicholson, Actor[68] Leonard Nimoy, Actor[68] Ryan O'Neal, Actor[74] Hal Prince, Director[69] Tom Poston, Actor[69] Tony Randall, Actor[69] Janice Rule, Actress and Psychotherapist[69] Barbara Rush, Actress[68] Robert Ryan, Actor[69] Eva Marie Saint, Actress[69] Tom Smothers, Actor, Comedian, Musician[69] Rod Steiger, Actor[69] Marlo Thomas, Actress[74] Lily Tomlin, Actress, Comedian and Singer[69] Robert Vaughn, Actor[69] Jon Voight, Actor[75] Eli Wallach, Actor[69] Dennis Weaver, Actor[68] Raquel Welch, Actress[74] Gene Wilder, Actor, Comedian and Filmmaker[69] Joanne Woodward, Actress[69] Musicians Ed Ames, Singer and Actor[69] Dave Brubeck, Jazz Pianist and Composer[69] Sonny Bono, Singer[69] Judy Collins, Singer[69] Peter Duchin, Pianist[74] Cass Elliot, Singer[75] Carole King, Singer[76] Tom Lehrer, Singer and Satirist[69] Alan Lerner, Lyricist and Librettist[69] Quincy Jones, Composer and Conductor[77] Henry Mancini, Composer and Conductor[69] Herbie Mann, Jazz Flutist[69] Joni Mitchell, Singer and Multi-instrumentalist[78] Michelle Phillips, Singer[68] Cher, Singer and Actress[69] Artie Shaw, Clarinetist, Composer, Actor and Director[69] Carly Simon, Singer, Memoirist, Author[69] Paul Simon, Singer [78] Barbra Streisand, Singer[76] James Taylor, Singer and Guitarist[76] Mary Travers, Singer[69] Andy Williams, Singer[69] Ruth Warrick, Singer and Actress[69] Academics Thomas Adams, President of the Massachusetts Historical Society[47] Stephen Birmingham, Author[69] Mary Bunting, Bacterial Geneticist [47] Owen Chamberlain, Physicist [79] Salvador Luria, Microbiologist [79] Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Historian [80] Neil Simon, Playwright and Author[69] Albert Szent-Györgyi, Biochemist [79] Richard Clement Wade, Historian [79] George Wald, Scientist [81] Sports Figures Arthur Ashe, Tennis Player[69] Shelley Mann, Swimmer and Olympic Medalist[69] Paul Warfield, NFL wide receiver[78] Religious Figures Ralph Abernathy, Baptist Minister [78] Activists and Public Figures Helen Emmerich, Freelance Writer [82] Jerome Grossman[83] Abbie Hoffman[84] Jesse Jackson, President of PUSH (1971-1984)[85] Kathleen Kennedy[86] Coretta King[87] George Plimpton, Writer and Journalist[69] Victor G. Reuther, Labor Organizer [88] Jerry Rubin[84] Richard Stearns[72] Newspapers The Palm Beach Post [89] The Miami News[90]

George Wallace
Wallace had received endorsements from: U.S. Senators Current James Allen, U.S. Senator from Alabama[91] Governors Former Ross Barnett, Governor of Mississippi[92] State Executive Officials Current Lieutenant Governors Lester Maddox, Lieutenant Governor of Georgia[93] Secretaries of State Mabel Amos, Secretary of State of Alabama[94] Treasurers Agnes Baggett, State Treasurer of Alabama[94] Auditors Melba Till Allen, State Auditor of Alabama[95] Agriculture Commissioners Richard Beard, Agriculture Commissioner of Alabama[94] Public Service Commissioners Juanita McDaniel, Member of the Alabama Public Service Commission[94] Jack Owen, Member of the Alabama Public Service Commission[94] State Senators Current Florida William Barrow, 3rd District (1966-1972)[96] Georgia Hugh Carter, 14th District (1967-1981)[97] Local and county officials Current Mayors John McKinney, Mayor of Talladega, Alabama[98] Ronnie Thompson, Mayor of Macon, Georgia (Republican) (1967-1975)[99] Business Leaders Bill France Sr., Founder and CEO of NASCAR[100] Actors Chill Wills, Actor and Singer[69] Musicians Billy Grammer, Singer and Guitaris[101] George Jones, Singer[69] Grandpa Jones, Banjo Player and Singer[74] Ferlin Husky, Singer[69] Stonewall Jackson, Singer[102] Hank Snow, Guitarist and Singer[74] Tammy Wynette, Singer[69] Activists and public figures Tom Turnipseed, Attorney[103] Robert Shelton, Imperial Wizard of the United Klans of America[104] Organizations State political parties Independent Party of South Carolina[105] American Party of South Carolina[105]

Hubert Humphrey
Humphrey had received endorsements from: Executive Branch Officials Cabinet Level Officials Orville Freeman, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (1961-1969)[106] Department of State Officials John Gronouski, U.S. Ambassador to Poland (1965-1968)[107] U.S. Senators Current Walter Mondale, U.S. Senator from Minnesota[108] Governors Former Haydon Burns, Governor of Florida (1965-1967)[92] Charley Johns, Governor of Florida (1953-1955)[92] State Senators Former Florida Edwin Fraser (1961-1963)[61] State Representatives Current Ohio C. J. McLin, 36th District (1967-1988)[52] State Representatives Former Florida Maurice Ferré, 91st District (1967-1968)[61] Local and county officials Current Mayors Joseph Alioto, Mayor of San Francisco, California (1968-1976)[109] Ted Berry, Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio (1972-1976)[110] Alfonso Cervantes, Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri (1965-1973)[110] Chuck Hall, Mayor of Miami Beach, Florida (1971-1974)[61] David T. Kennedy, Mayor of Miami, Florida (1970-1973)[61] James McGee, Mayor of Dayton, Ohio (1970-1982)[78] Former Mayors Maynard Abrams, Mayor of Hollywood, Florida (?)[61] Business Leaders Dwayne Andreas, CEO of ADM[111] Joseph Cole, President of Cole National Corp.[111] Joseph Danzansky, Head of Giant Foods Inc.[111] Harrison Dogole, Chairman of Globe Security Systems[111] Harold Greenwood, President of Midwest Federal Savings & Loan[111] Carl Pohlad, President of Marquette National Bank[111] Actors Edie Adams, Actress, Comedian and Singer[74] Jimmy Durante, Actor, Comedian and Singer[74] Eva Gabor, Actress[112] Lorne Greene, Actor and Singer[74] Phyllis Kirk, Actress[69] Dick Shawn, Actor and Comedian[69] Musicians Ray Charles, Singer and Pianist[69] Billy Daniels, Singer[69] Percy Faith, Composer and Conductor[69] Robert Goulet, Singer and Actor[74] Trini Lopez, Singer, Guitarist and Actor[69] The New Christy Minstrels, Folk Music Group[69] Sports Figures Alan Page, NFL defensive tackle[113] Activists and public figures I. W. Abel, President of United Steelworkers[111] Peter Bommarito, President of United Rubber Workers of America[111] Revels Cayton[114] Harry Davis (Endorsed Chisholm, March 23rd)[115] John Jay Hooker, Attorney[116] Eugene Wyman, Attorney[111] Organizations Labor Unions Retail Clerks International Union[117] United Rubber Workers of America[118] Newspapers The Daytona Beach News-Journal [89] St. Petersburg Independent [89] Cocoa Today [89]

Edmund Muskie (To April 27th, 1972)
Muskie had received endorsements from: Executive Branch Officials Department of State Officials Raúl Héctor Castro, U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia (1968-1969)[119] U.S. Senators Current Quentin Burdick, U.S. Senator for North Dakota (1960-1992)[120] Frank Church, U.S. Senator for Idaho (1957-1981)[121] Thomas Eagleton, U.S. Senator for Missouri (1968-1987)[122] Mike Gravel, U.S. Senator[120] Philip Hart, U.S. Senator for Michigan (1959-1976)[123] Harold Hughes, U.S. Senator for Iowa (1969-1975)[124] Thomas McIntyre, U.S. Senator for New Hampshire (1962-1979)[125] Lee Metcalf, U.S. Senator for Montana (1961-1978)[120] Frank Moss, U.S. Senator for Utah (1959-1977)[126] Adlai Stevenson III, U.S. Senator for Illinois (1970-1981)[127] Stuart Symington, U.S. Senator for Missouri (1953-1976)[122] John Tunney, U.S. Senator for California (1971-1977)[127] Harrison Williams, U.S. Senator for New Jersey (1959-1982)[127] Former Albert Gore Sr., U.S. Senator for Tennessee (1953-1971)[116] Joseph Tydings, U.S. Senator for Maryland (1965-1971)[116] U.S. Representatives Current Lionel Van Deerlin, U.S. Representative for CA-37 (1963-1981)[128] Dante Fascell, U.S. Representative for FL-12 (1967-1973)[61] Sam Gibbons, U.S. Representative for FL-06 (1967-1973)[129] Tip O'Neill, U.S. Representative for MA-08 (1963-1987)[130] Thomas M. Rees, U.S. Representative for CA-26 (1971-1975)[131] James V. Stanton, U.S. Representative for OH-20 (1971-1977)[120] Mo Udall, U.S. Representative for AZ-02 (1961-1991)[132] Charles Vanik, U.S. Representative for OH-22 (1955-1981)[120] Former Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr., U.S. Representative for NY-20 (1949-1955)[133] Governors Current Wendell Ford, Governor of Kentucky (1971-1974)[134] John Gilligan, Governor of Ohio (1971-1975)[135] Warren Hearnes, Governor of Missouri (1965-1973)[122] Cal Rampton, Governor of Utah (1965-1977)[126] Former Buford Ellington, Governor of Tennessee (1967-1971)[116] Samuel Goddard Jr., Governor of Arizona (1965-1967)[119] State Executive Officials Current Secretary of State Jerry Brown, Secretary of State of California (1971-1975)[131] John Davoren, Secretary of State of Massachusetts (1967-1974)[130] Attorneys General Robert H. Quinn, Attorney General of Massachusetts (1969-1975)[130] Treasurers Robert Q. Crane, State Treasurer of Massachusetts (1964-1991)[130] Tom Wiseman, State Treasurer of Tennessee[116] Auditors Thaddeus M. Buczko, State Auditor of Massachusetts (1969-1975)[130] State Senators Current Arizona Sam Lenoard Lena, 12-Pima (1971-1975)[116] California James Mills, 40th District (President Pro Tempore) (1963-1974)[131] George Zenovich, 16th District (1971-1974)[131] Florida Lynwood Arnold, 9th District (1970-1972)[61] Bob Graham, 48th District (1970-1972)[61] Bill Gunter, 18th District (1966-1972)[61] Ray Knopke, 23rd District (1966-1972)[61] Kenneth Myers, 45th District (1968-1972)[61] Louis A. de la Parte Jr., 26th District (1967-1972)[61] Dan Scarborough, ? District (?)[61] Massachusetts Kevin Harrington, 2nd Essex District (1959-1978) (Senate President)[130] Former Florida John E. Mathews, ? District (?)[61] State Representatives Current California Mike Cullen, 44th District (1967-1974)[131] Joe Gonsalves, 44th District (1963-1974)[131] John Quimby, 72nd District (1963-1974)[131] Florida George Baumgartner, 107th District (1968-1972)[61] Dick Clark, 93rd District (1968-1976)[61] Murray Dubbin, 95th District (1963-1974)[61] Harold Featherstone, 101st District (1967-1972)[61] Jeff Gautier, 109th District (1968-1972)[61] Joe Lang Kershaw, 105th District (1968-1982)[61] Elvin Martinez, ? District (1966-1998)[61] Richard Pettigrew, 97th District (1963-1972)[61] Carl Singleton, 103rd District (1968-1972)[61] Guy Spicola, 62nd District (1971-1973)[61] Edward Trombetta, 89th District (1970-1972)[61] Ralph Turlington, ? District (1950-1974)[61] Louis Wolfson, ? District (1963-1973)[61] Massachusetts David Bartley, 7th Hampden District (1963-1976) (House Speaker)[130] Former Florida Frederick Schultz, ? District (1963-1970)[61] Local and county officials Current Mayors Hans Tanzler, Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida (1971-1974)[136] Kevin White, Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts (1968-1984)[130] Former Mayors Joseph Casdin, Mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts (1967-1968)[137] Party Officials Former State Party Officials Rogert Kent, Chair of the California Democratic Party[60] Business Leaders Sumner Redstone, CEO of National Amusements[133] Actors Jim Backus, Actor[69] Gene Barry, Actor[69] Jackie Cooper, Actor and Director[69] Richard Crenna, Actor[69] Henry Fonda, Actor[74] Peter Fonda, Actor[74] Rosey Grier, Actor and Singer[74] Jack Lemmon, Actor[74] Darren McGavin, Actor[69] Greg Morris, Actor[69] Ryan O'Neal, Actor[74] Edward G. Robinson, Actor[69] Leslie Uggams, Actress and Singer[69] Shelley Winters, Actress[69] Natalie Wood, Actress[69] Musicians Peter Duchin, Pianist[74] Dionne Warwick, Singer[69] Sports Figures Hank Aaron, Professional Baseball Right Fielder and Designated Hitter[69] Bobby Murcer, Professional Baseball Outfielder[69] Activists and public figures Gilbert Merritt Jr., Attorney[116] Alcee Hastings, Attorney[138] Emily Kimbrough, Author and Journalist[69]

Scoop Jackson (To May 2nd, 1972)
Jackson had received endorsements from: U.S. Senators Current Sam Ervin, U.S. Senator for North Carolina (1954-1974)[139] Warren Magnuson, U.S. Senator for Washington (1944-1981)[140] Former Spessard Holland, U.S. Senator for Florida (1946-1971)[61] U.S. Representatives Current Charles Bennett, U.S. Representative for FL-03 (1967-1993)[61] Bill Chappell, U.S. Representative for FL-04 (1969-1989)[61] Tom Foley, U.S. Representative for WA-05 (1965-1995)[141] Edith Green, U.S. Representative for OR-03 (1955-1974)[142] James Haley, U.S. Representative for FL-07 (1969-1989)[61] Floyd Hicks, U.S. Representative for WA-06 (1965-1977)[140] Mike McCormack, U.S. Representative for WA-04 (1971-1981)[140] Lloyd Meeds, U.S. Representative for WA-02 (1965-1979)[140] Bob Sikes, U.S. Representative for FL-01 (1945-1979)[61] Governors Former Farris Bryant, Governor of Florida (1961-1965)[61] State Executive Officials Current Treasurers Thomas O'Malley Jr., State Treasurer of Florida[61] Others Floyd Christian, Commissioner of Education of Florida[143] Fred Dickinson, State Comptroller of Florida[143] State Senators Former Florida Ben Hill Griffin Jr.[61] George Tapper, 25th District (1953-1956)[61] State Representatives Current Florida George Firestone, ? District (1966-1972)[61] Sherman Winn, 105th District (1970-1972)[61] Tennessee Edward Clarence Bank II[116] James Roberson[116] Former Florida Robert Brake, ? District (1966-1967)[61] Local and county officials Current Mayors Robert Carl Anderson, Mayor of Everett, Washington (Republican)[90] Avery Garrett, Mayor of Renton, Washington (1969-1976)[140] Gordon Johnston, Mayor of Tacoma, Washington[90] Wesley Uhlman, Mayor of Seattle, Washington (1969-1978)[140] Business Leaders Monford Orloff, President of Evans Products[142] Stephen W. H. Yih, President of Wah Chang Corp.<[142] Political Operatives Hyman Raskin[141] Ben Wattenberg[141] Academics Reid Buckley[141] Newspapers Palm Beach Times[90] Fort Myers News-Press[90]

Shirley Chisholm
Chisholm had received endorsements from: U.S. Representatives Current John Conyers,[f] U.S. Representative for MI-01 (1965-1993)[144] Ron Dellums, U.S. Representative for CA-07[g] (1971-1975)[145][53] Parren Mitchell, U.S. Representative for MD-07 (1971-1987)[145] State Representatives Current Florida Gwen Cherry, 106th District (1970-1979)[61] Local and county officials Current Mayors Richard Hatcher, Mayor of Gary, Indiana (1968-1988)[146] Executive Officials Maynard Jackson, Deputy Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia (1970-1974)[147] Percy Sutton, Manhattan Borough President[146] Actors Godfrey Cambridge, Actor and Comedian[69] Ossie Davis, Actor and Director[69] Ruby Dee, Actress and Playwright[69] Sidney Poitier, Actor[74] Diahann Carroll, Actress and Singer[74] Musicians Harry Belafonte, Singer and Actor[74] Roberta Flack, Singer[69] Lena Horne, Singer and Actress[74] Academics Susan Welch, Political Scientist [148] Religious Figures Ralph Abernathy, Head of the SCLC[149] Activists and public figures Harry Davis[115] Paul O'Dwyer, Attorney[150] Betty Friedan, President of NOW (1966-1970)[151] John Harper II, Chairman of the UCP[152] LaDonna Harris[153] Jesse Jackson, President of PUSH (1971-1984)[146] Florynce Kennedy[154] Gary Miller, Gay Rights Activist[114] Huey P. Newton, Leader of the Black Panther Party[155] Jerry Rubin[156] Bobby Seale[155] Gloria Steinem, Chairman of WAA (1971-1978)[151] Geraldine Travis[157] Organizations Political Parties Black Panther Party[155] Feminist Party[158] State Political Parties United Citizens Party[152]

Terry Sanford
Sanford had received endorsements from: Executive Branch Officials Cabinet-level Officials Luther Hodges, U.S. Secretary of Commerce (1961-1965)[119] U.S. Senators Current B. Everett Jordan, U.S. Senator for North Carolina (1958-1973)[159] U.S. Representatives Current Nick Galifianakis, U.S. Representative for NC-04 (1969-1973)[159] Former Brooks Hays, U.S. Representative for AR-05 (1943-1959)[160] Governors Current Robert Scott, Governor of North Carolina (1969-1973)[161] State Executive Officials Current Attorney Generals Andrew Miller, Attorney General of Virginia (1970-1977)[162] Robert Morgan, Attorney General of North Carolina (1969-1974)[163] Activists and public figures Anne Cannon Forsyth[164] Wilbur Hobby, Labor Unionist[159]

John Lindsay (To April 4th, 1972)
Lindsay had received endorsements from: Executive Branch Officials Cabinet Level Officials Elizabeth Gatov, Treasurer of the United States (1961-1962)[165] State Senators Current Florida Edmond Gong, 40th District (1966-1972)[61] New York Antonio Olivieri, 66th District (1971-1974)[166] Leonard Simon, 66th District (1967-1973)[166] Wisconsin Dennis Conta, Milwaukee - 3rd District (1968-1976)[167] James Wahner, Milwaukee - 15th District (1971-1980)[167] Terry Willkom, Chippewa (?)[167] Former Florida Frederick Karl, 14th District (1968-1971)[61] Local and county officials Current Mayors Charles Evers, Mayor of Fayette, Mississippi (1969-1981)[138] Local and County Executive Officials Norman Levy, Head of the New York City Tax Commission [166] Jerome Kretchmer, New York City EPA Administrator[168][169] Ken Patton, New York City Economic Development Administrator[169] Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chairman of the New York City Human Rights Commission[169] Local and county officials Former Local and County Executive Officials Richard Aurelio, Deputy Mayor of New York City (?-1971)[170] Richard Kellerman, Deputy Police Commissioner of New York City (1969-1970)[168] Party Officials Former State Party Officials John J. Burns, Chair of the Democratic Party of New York (1965-1971)[171] Business Leaders David Garth President of Garth Associates, Inc.[168] Political Operatives Sidney Davidoff, Senior Advisor (1966-1973)[168] Ronnie Eldridge, Special Mayoral Assistant to Lindsay (?-1971)[172] Actors Sherri Finkbine, Actress[173] Carroll O'Connor, Actor[112] Activists and public figures Jeff Greenfield, Journalist and Writer(1969-1970)[168] Dan Paul, Attorney[61] Leonard Ross, Professor at Columbia Law School[168]

Fred Harris (To November 10th, 1971)
Harris had received endorsements from: Executive Branch Officials Department of State Officials Jack H. Vaughn, U.S. Ambassador to Colombia (1969-1970) (Campaign Manager)[174] Business Leaders Herbert Allen Jr. President of Allen & Company[174] Eli Timoner President of Griffin Industries[175]

Birch Bayh (To October 12th, 1971)
Bayh had received endorsements from: State Senators Current California Al Alquist, 13th District (1967-1976)[60] State Representatives Current California March Fong Eu, 15th District (1967-1974)[60]

Schedule and results

Date	Pledged delegates	Contest and total popular vote	Delegates won and popular vote[h]
			George McGovern	Hubert Humphrey	George Wallace	Edmund Muskie	Henry Jackson	Wilbur Mills	Shirley Chisholm	John Lindsay	Other
January 25	0	Iowa[i] caucuses	(22.6%)	(1.6%)	–	(35.5%)	(1.1%)	–	(1.3%)	–	(35.8%)[j]
January 29	500 SDs	Arizona[176] caucuses	102 SDs (20.4%)	2 SDs (0.4%)	–	189 SDs (37.8%)	2 SDs (0.4%)	–	1 SDs (0.2%)	118 SDs (23.6%)	86 SDs[k] (17.2%)
February 12	25	Arizona[177] convention	5	–	–	9	–	–	–	6	5[l]
February 26	3,641 SDs	Iowa[178] county conventions	983 SDs (27.0%)	–	–	1,409 SDs (38.7%)	–	–	–	–	1,249 SDs[m] (34.3%)
February 27	25	Mississippi convention[n][179][180]	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	25[o]
March 7	20	New Hampshire[181] 88,854	6 33,007 (37.2%)	348 (0.4%)	175 (0.2%)	14 41,235 (46.4%)	197 (0.2%)	3,563 (4.0%)	–	–	10,329 (11.6%)
March 11	40	Georgia[182] district conventions	4	–	–	–	–	1	5	–	30[p]
March 14	81	Florida[183] 1,264,554	78,232 (6.2%)	6 234,658 (18.6%)	75 526,651 (41.7%)	112,523 (8.9%)	170,156 (13.5%)	4,539 (0.4%)	43,989 (3.5%)	82,386 (6.5%)	11,420 (0.9%)[q]
March 21	160	Illinois[184][185][r] 1,225,144	3 143,687 (0.3%)	1,476 (0.1%)	7,017 (0.6%)	59 766,914 (62.6%)	442 (0.0%)	–	777 (0.1%)	118 (0.0%)	88[s] 444,713 (36.3%)[t]
March 25	34 (of 44)	Iowa[186] district conventions	12	–	–	14	–	–	–	–	8[u]
March 29	32	South Carolina[187] convention	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	32[v]
April 4	67	Wisconsin[188] 1,128,584	54 333,528 (29.6%)	13 233,748 (20.7%)	248,676 (22.0%)	115,811 (10.3%)	88,068 (7.8%)	913 (0.1%)	9,198 (0.8%)	75,579 (6.7%)	22,880[w] (2.1%)
April 17	425 SDs	Idaho[189] caucuses	191 SDs (44.9%)	21 SDs (4.9%)	4 SDs (0.9%)	76 SDs (17.9%)	5 SDs (1.2%)	–	20 SDs (4.7%)	–	107 SDs[x] (25.4%)
April 20	1,146 SDs	Vermont[190] caucuses	504 SDs (44.0%)	18 SDs (1.6%)	1 SDs (0.1%)	309 SDs (27.0%)	1 SDs (0.1%)	2 SDs (0.2%)	2 SDs (0.2%)	–	165 SDs[y] (14.40%)
April 25	102	Massachusetts[191] 618,516	102 325,673 (52.7%)	48,929 (7.9%)	45,807 (7.4%)	[z] 131,709 (21.3%)	8,499 (1.4%)	19,441 (3.1%)	[aa] 22,398 (3.6%)	2,107 (0.3%)	[ab] 16,060[ac] (0.6%)
	182[ad]	Pennsylvania[192][193][r]	54[ae] 280,861 (20.43%)	74[af] 481,900 (35.05%)	22 92,437 (21.27%)	40[ag] 279,983 (20.36%)	38,767 (2.8%)	–	336 (0.0%)	–	12[ah][ai] 610 (0.0%)[aj]
April 28–30	11	Nevada[194] convention	4.95	1.65	–	–	–	–	–	–	4.40[ak]
April 29	1,944 SDs	Kentucky[195] caucuses	381 SDs (19.6%)	6 SDs (0.3%)	22 SDs (1.1%)	59 SDs (3.0%)	–	–	–	–	1,526 SDs[al](78.5%)
May 2	29 (of 37)	Alabama[196] convention	–	–	23	–	–	–	–	–	6[am]
	76	Indiana[197] 751,458	–	49 354,244 (47.1%)	27 309,495 (41.2%)	87,719 (11.67%)	–	–	–	–	–
	145 (of 153)	Ohio[198][199] 1,205,194	66 478,434 (39.7%)	74 497,538 (41.3%)	–	105,903 (8.8%)	97,896 (8.1%)	–	–	–	13[an] 25,423 (2.1%)[ao]
	20	Washington D.C.[200] 29,560	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	20 29,560 (100.00%)
May 4	49	Tennessee[201] 492,721	35,551 (7.2%)	78,350 (15.9%)	49 335,858 (68.2%)	9,634 (2.0%)	5,896 (1.2%)	2,543 (0.5%)	18,809 (3.8%)	1,476 (0.3%)	4,604 (0.9%)[ap]
May 5[aq]	51 (of 64)	Minnesota[202] district conventions	14	26	–	–	–	–	6	–	–
May 6	57	North Carolina[181] 821,410	–	–	37 413,518 (50.3%)	30,739 (3.7%)	9,416 (1.2%)	–	61,723 (7.5%)	–	27[ar] 306,014 (37.3%)
May 9	22	Nebraska[203] 192,137	18 79,309 (41.3%)	4 65,968 (34.3%)	23,912 (12.5%)	6,886 (3.6%)	5,276 (2.8%)	377 (0.2%)	1,763 (0.9%)	1,244 (0.7%)	7,402[as](3.9%)
	35	West Virginia[204][r] 368,484	7[at] –	14[au] 246,596 (66.9%)	5[av] 121,888 (33.1%)	–	–	–	–	–	9[aw] –
May 12	11	Wyoming[205] convention	0.55	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10.45[ax]
May 13	3	Panama Canal Zone[206] convention	2.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0.5[ay]
	30 (of 35)	Kansas[207] district conventions	12	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	18[az]
	44[ba]	Louisiana[208][209] district conventions	10	–	3	–	–	–	–	–	32[bb]
May 16	53	Maryland[210] 568,131	6 126,978 (22.4%)	6 151,981 (26.8%)	41 219,687 (38.7%)	13,363 (2.4%)	17,728 (3.1%)	4,776 (0.8%)	12,602 (2.2%)	2,168 (0.4%)	18,848 (3.3%)[bc]
	132	Michigan[211][212] 1,588,073	38 425,694 (26.8%)	27 249,798 (15.7%)	67 809,239 (51.0%)	38,701 (2.4%)	6,938 (0.4%)	–	44,090 (2.8%)	–	10,751 (0.7%)[bd]
May 19	20	Maine[213] convention	–	–	–	20	–	–	–	–	–
May 19–21	17	Hawaii[214][215] convention	1.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	15.5[be]
May 20	10 (of 44)	Iowa[216] convention	5	–	–	3	–	–	–	–	2[bf]
	12	Vermont[217] convention	9	–	–	3	–	–	–	–	–
	46 (of 52)	Washington[218][219] district conventions	0[bg]	–	–	–	46	–	–	–	–
May 23	55 (of 73)	Missouri[220] district conventions	11	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	44[bh]
	34	Oregon[221] 408,644	34 205,328 (50.3%)	51,163 (12.5%)	81,868 (20.0%)	10,244 (2.5%)	22,042 (5.4%)	1,208 (0.3%)	2,975 (0.7%)	5,082 (1.2%)	28,734 (7.0%)[bi]
	22	Rhode Island[222] 37,864	22 15,603 (41.2%)	7,701 (20.3%)	5,802 (15.3%)	7,838 (20.7%)	138 (0.4%)	41 (0.1%)	–	–	741 (1.3%)[bj]
May 26	10	Alaska[223] convention	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	10[bk]
May 27	3	Guam[224] convention	1	1.5	–	0.5	–	–	–	–	–
	3	Virgin Islands[225][226] convention	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	3
June 2	38 (of 51)	Connecticut[227] district conventions	15	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	23[bl]
	35 (of 47)	Kentucky[228] district conventions	7	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	28[bm]
June 3	12 (of 47)	Kentucky[228] convention	3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	9[bn]
	30 (of 39)	Oklahoma[229] district conventions	10	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	20[bo]
June 6	271	California primary[230] 3,564,518	271 1,550,652 (43.5%)	1,375,064 (38.6%)	268,551 (7.5%)	72,701 (2.0%)	28,901 (0.8%)	–	157,435 (4.4%)	26,246 (0.7%)	84,968 (2.4%)[bp]
	17	South Dakota[231] 28,017	17 28,017 (100.0%)	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	109	New Jersey[232][233][r] 76,834	72 –	10 –	–	–	–	–	51,433 (66.9%)	–	27[bq] 25,401 (33.1%)[br]
	18	New Mexico[232]153,293	10 51,011 (33.3%)	39,768 (25.9%)	8 44,843 (29.3%)	6,411 (4.2%)	4,236 (2.8%)	–	3,205 (2.1%)	–	3,819 (2.5%)[bs]
June 9	13 (of 64)	Minnesota[234] convention	5	7	–	–	–	–	1	–	–
	41 (of 53)	Virginia[235][236] district conventions	18	2	–	1	–	–	–	–	20[bt]
June 10	5 (of 35)	Kansas[237] convention	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	5[bu]
	18 (of 73)	Missouri[238] convention	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	18[bv]
	9 (of 39)	Oklahoma[239] convention	3[bw]	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	6[bx]
	12 (of 53)	Virginia[236][240] convention	9	1	–	–	–	–	2	–	–
June 13	130	Texas[241] convention	34	21	42	–	–	–	–	–	33[by]
June 16	27 (of 36)	Colorado[242][243] district conventions	17	6	–	–	–	–	1	–	13[bz]
	13 (of 51)	Connecticut[244] convention	5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8[ca]
	17	Idaho[245] convention	7	1	–	3	–	–	2	–	4[cb]
	14	North Dakota[246] convention	7.7	4.2	–	–	–	–	–	–	2.1[cc]
	19	Utah[247] convention	11	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8[cd]
June 17	17	Montana[248] convention	14.5	–	–	–	–	–	1	–	1.5[ce]
	7	Puerto Rico[249] convention	6	0.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	0.5[cf]
June 18	9 (of 36)	Colorado[250] convention	7	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	1[cg]
June 20	278[ch]	New York[251][252]	251	–	–	1	–	–	4	–	22[ci]
June 23	6 (of 52)	Washington[253] convention	–	–	–	–	6	–	–	–	–
June 24	27	Arkansas[254] convention	–	–	–	–	–	27	–	–	–
	13	Delaware[255] convention	5.85	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	7.15[cj]
Total pledged delegates Popular Vote			1319.55 4,051,565 (25.0%)	345.85 4,119,230 (25.4%)	371 3,755,424 (23.2%)	172.5 1,838,314 (11.3%)	52 504,596 (3.1%)	28 37,401 (0.2%)	22 430,733 (2.7%)	6 196,406 (1.2%)	638.6 721,117 (4.3%)
June 27	Estimate[256]		1,466.15	385.50	377	208.85	53.75	30.55	23.65	0	468.25

Results by county

1972 Democratic primary results by county popular vote^[ck]

  McGovern

•   McGovern—20–30%
•   McGovern—30–40%
•   McGovern—40–50%
•   McGovern—50–60%
•   McGovern—60–70%
•   McGovern—70–80%
•   McGovern—90–100%

  Humphrey

•   Humphrey—20–30%
•   Humphrey—30–40%
•   Humphrey—40–50%
•   Humphrey—50–60%
•   Humphrey—60–70%
•   Humphrey—70–80%

  Wallace

•   Wallace—20–30%
•   Wallace—30–40%
•   Wallace—40–50%
•   Wallace—50–60%
•   Wallace—60–70%
•   Wallace—70–80%
•   Wallace—80–90%

  Muskie

•   Muskie—30–40%
•   Muskie—40–50%
•   Muskie—50–60%
•   Muskie—60–70%
•   Muskie—70–80%
•   Muskie—80–90%

  Chisholm

•   Chisholm—50–60%
•   Chisholm—60–70%
•   Chisholm—70–80%
•   Chisholm—80–90%

  Sanford

•   Sanford—30–40%
•   Sanford—40–50%
•   Sanford—50–60%
•   Sanford—60–70%

  McCarthy

•   McCarthy—40–50%

  Fauntroy

•   Fauntroy—70–80%

  Uncommitted

•   Uncommitted—30–40%

  Tie

•   Tie—50%

1972 Democratic primary results by county popular vote   George McGovern (red)   Hubert Humphrey (blue)   George Wallace (green)   Edmund Muskie (brown)   Eugene McCarthy (black)   Shirley Chisholm (gold)   Terry Sanford (orange)   Scoop Jackson (pink)   Uncommitted (yellow)

Total primaries popular vote

1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries^[257]

Candidate		Votes	%
Hubert H. Humphrey		4,121,372	25.8
George S. McGovern		4,053,451	25.3
George C. Wallace		3,755,424	23.5
Edmund S. Muskie		1,840,217	11.5
Eugene J. McCarthy		553,955	3.5
Henry M. Jackson		505,198	3.2
Shirley A. Chisholm		430,703	2.7
James T. Sanford		331,415	2.1
John V. Lindsay		196,406	1.2
Sam W. Yorty		79,446	0.5
Wilbur D. Mills		37,401	0.2
Walter E. Fauntroy		21,217	0.1
Unpledged delegates		19,533	0.1
Edward M. Kennedy		16,693	0.1
Rupert V. Hartke		11,798	0.1
Patsy M. Mink		8,286	0.1
"None of the names shown"		6,269	0
Others		5,181	0
Total votes		15,993,965	100

Analysis

In the end, McGovern succeeded in winning the nomination by winning primaries through grass-roots support in spite of establishment opposition. He had led a commission to redesign the Democratic nomination system after the messy and confused nomination struggle and convention of 1968. The fundamental principle of the McGovern-Fraser Commission—that the Democratic primaries should determine the winner of the Democratic nomination—lasted throughout every subsequent nomination contest. However, the new rules angered many prominent Democrats whose influence was marginalized, and those politicians refused to support McGovern's campaign (some even supporting Nixon instead), leaving the McGovern campaign at a significant disadvantage in funding compared to Nixon.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• 1972 Republican Party presidential primaries

Notes

1. This number doesn't include Walter Fauntroy, Wayne Hays, and Carl Stokes, who were considered to be favorite sons
2. Channing Phillips had previously been placed in nomination at the 1968 convention and won the Washington D.C. delegation but was not a contender for national support.^{[citation needed]}
3. Senator Margaret Chase Smith had previously contested the Republican nomination in 1964.
4. Replacing Thomas Eagleton
5. Endorsed McGovern in the Ohio Presidential Primary
6. Endorsed Chisholm in the Michigan Presidential Primary
7. Switched to McGovern on July 9th.
8. This should not be taken as a finalized list of results. While a significant amount of research was done, there were a number of Delegates who were not bound by the instruction, or "Pledged" to a candidate, and to simplify the data these delegates were considered "Uncommitted". Many states also held primaries for the delegate positions, and these on occasion were where slates or candidates pledged to a certain candidate might be elected; however, as these elections allowed for a single person to vote for multiple candidates, as many as the number of positions being filled, it is difficult to determine how many people actually voted in these primaries. For this reason, while such results may be found, they are not included in the popular vote summaries at the bottom of the table.
9. Technically this is only a partial result; over two dozen counties did not hold caucuses when these results were announced, accounting for around (12%) of the expected number of Caucus goers. However, a full tabulation including these counties was not found. Only percentages were found in terms of the number of delegates elected per candidate, not their number nor their total allotment.
10. 35.8% for uncommitted delegates and 1.4% for delegates pledged to Eugene McCarthy.
11. All were Uncommitted except one for Vance Hartke.
12. Both are Uncommitted.
13. 1,176 SDs were Uncommitted and 73 SDs were for other candidates.
14. Two rival delegate slates were named, as the Mississippi Democratic party was severely divided between White-lead Regulars and Black-lead Loyalists, with their contests being held at different dates. As the Loyalists were the ones seated at the National Convention, it is their slate and nomination date that is presented here.
15. All are Uncommitted.
16. All are Uncommitted.
17. Includes 5,847 for Eugene McCarthy, 2,564 for Sam Yorty and 3,009 for Vance Hartke.
18. There were two primaries in this state: a non-binding preference primary in which eligible voters cast ballots directly for a candidate and a delegate primary in which delegates to the National Convention were elected.
19. All are Uncommitted.
20. Includes 444,260 votes for Eugene McCarthy and 242 write-In votes for Ted Kennedy.
21. All are Uncommitted.
22. Both are Uncommitted.
23. 15,543 for Eugene McCarthy, 2,349 for Sam Yorty, 1,213 for Patsy Mink, 766 for Vance Hartke and 2,450 votes for "None of the Names Shown".
24. All were Uncommitted except one for Patsy Mink.
25. All were Uncommitted except two, which were pledged to Ted Kennedy.
26. Technically won seven delegates, but these delegates were required to vote for McGovern on the first ballot.
27. Technically won five delegates, these delegates were technically required to vote for McGovern on the first ballot.
28. Technically Uncommmited won one delegate, but they were required to vote for McGovern on the first ballot.
29. Includes 8,736 votes for Eugene McCarthy, 2,348 write-in votes for Ted Kennedy 874 votes for Vance Hartke, 646 votes for Sam Yorty and 589 votes for Edward T. Coll.
30. 45 delegates were technically named later in mid-June, 27 by the elected delegates and 18 by the Democratic State Committee.
31. 14 delegates were named later in June.
32. 19 delegates were named later in June.
33. 11 delegates were named later in June.
34. All are Uncommitted.
35. 1 delegate was named later in June.
36. Includes 262 write-in votes for Richard Nixon.
37. All are Uncommitted.
38. All were Uncommitted bar one, who was pledged to Senator Edward Kennedy.
39. All are part of an Anti-Wallace slate.
40. A slate of eight delegates supporting Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes was elected in the 21st District, and a slate of five delegates supporting Congressman Wayne Hays was elected in the 18th District.
41. 25,423 votes for Eugene McCarthy.
42. Includes 2,267 votes for Eugene McCarthy, 1,621 votes for Vance Hartke, 692 votes for Sam Yorty and 24 votes for unknown others.
43. Some district conventions were held earlier in April.
44. All delegates and votes for Terry Sanford.
45. Includes 3,459 for Sam Yorty, 3,194 votes for Eugene McCarthy, 293 write-in votes for Ted Kennedy and 249 for Vance Hartke.
46. Uncommitted by state law.
47. Uncommitted by state law.
48. Uncommitted by state law.
49. All are Uncommitted
50. All are Uncommitted.
51. All are Uncommitted.
52. All are Uncommitted.
53. Four delegates were picked on May 20.
54. All are Uncommitted.
55. Includes 12,584 votes for Sam Yorty, 4691 votes for Eugene McCarthy and 573 votes for Patsy Mink.
56. 10,700 votes are for an uncommitted slate and 2,862 are for Vance Hartke.
57. All are Uncommitted except 1.5 for Patsy Mink.
58. Both are Uncommitted.
59. McGovern won eight delegates in these contests, but they were later replaced by Jackson delegates at the state convention.
60. All are Uncommitted.
61. Includes 12,673 votes for Ted Kennedy, 8,943 votes for Eugene McCarthy, 6,500 votes for Patsy Mink, and 480 write-in votes for Richard Nixon.
62. Includes 710 votes for an uncommitted slate, 245 votes for Eugene McCarthy and 6 votes for Sam Yorty.
63. All are Uncommitted.
64. All are Uncommitted.
65. All are Uncommitted.
66. All are Uncommitted.
67. All are Uncommitted.
68. Includes 50,745 votes for Sam Yorty, 34,203 votes for Eugene McCarthy, and 20 write-in votes.
69. All 27 delegates were uncommitted.
70. 25,401 votes were cast in the preference primary for Terry Sanford.
71. All votes are for an Uncommitted slate.
72. 19 delegates were uncommitted and one was pledged to Terry Sanford.
73. All are Uncommitted.
74. All are Uncommitted.
75. This was suspected, not confirmed.
76. All are Uncommitted.
77. All are Uncommitted.
78. All are Uncommitted.
79. All are Uncommitted.
80. All are Uncommitted.
81. All are Uncommitted.
82. All are Uncommitted.
83. All are Uncommitted.
84. All are Uncommitted.
85. Is Uncommitted.
86. 30 were named on the June 25th by the Democratic State Committee.
87. All are Uncommitted.
88. All are Uncommitted.
89. In Iowa, the results by county were not recorded, however it was recorded by congressional district.