1972 United States Senate elections

The 1972 United States Senate elections were held on November 7, with the 33 seats of Class 2 contested in regular elections. They coincided with the landslide re-election of Republican President Richard Nixon. Despite Nixon's landslide victory, Democrats increased their majority by two seats. The Democrats picked up open seats in Kentucky and South Dakota, and defeated four incumbent senators: Gordon Allott of Colorado, J. Caleb Boggs of Delaware, Jack Miller of Iowa, and Margaret Chase Smith of Maine. The Republicans picked up open seats in New Mexico, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, and defeated one incumbent, William B. Spong Jr. of Virginia.

After the elections, Democrats held 56 seats, and Republicans held 42 seats, with 1 Conservative and 1 independent senator in the chamber as well. These were the first elections in which all citizens at least 18 years of age (instead of 21 and older) could vote, due to the 1971 passage of the 26th Amendment.

, this is the last time a Republican was elected to a Senate seat in New Jersey. Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States (2021–2025) and 47th vice president (2009–2017), first won election to the United States Senate, defeating J. Caleb Boggs in the election in Delaware.

Results summary

{| style="width:50em; text-align:center"

|+ ↓

|- style="color:white"

| style="background:; width:56%" | 56

| style="background:; width:1%" | 1

| style="background:; width:42%" | 42

| Democratic

| I

| C

| Republican

{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center

|- valign=bottom

! rowspan=2 colspan=2 | Parties

| style="background-color:" |

! rowspan=2 | Total

|- valign=bottom

! Democratic

! Republican

! Conservative

! Independent

! Other

! colspan=2 | Last elections (1970) Before these elections

| | 54

| 44

| 1

| 0

! 100

! colspan=2 style="background:#bbb" | Not up

| | 40

| 25

| 1

| —

! 67

| colspan=100 |

! colspan=2 style="background:#bbb" | Up

| 14

| | 19

| 0

| —

! 33

| colspan=100 |

! colspan=2 style="background:#ccc" | Incumbent retired

| 3

| —

! 6

! rowspan=3 |

| 1

| —

! 2

| colspan=2 | 2 Republicans replaced by 2 Democrats 2 Democrats replaced by 2 Republicans

| —

! 4

! Result

! 3

! 0

! 6

! colspan=2 style="background:#ccc" | Incumbent ran

| 11

| | 16

| —

! 27

! rowspan=5 |

| 8

| | 12

| —

! 20

| colspan=2 | 4 Republicans replaced by 4 Democrats 1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican

| —

! 5

| | 1

| 0

| —

! 1

| colspan=2 | 1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican

| —

! 1

! Result

! 13

! | 14

! 0

! 27

| colspan=100 |

! colspan=2 | Total elected

! 16

! | 17

! 0

! 33

! colspan=2 | Net gain/loss

| | 2

| 2

! 2

! colspan=2 style="background:#ccc" | Nationwide vote

| 17,199,567

| | 19,821,203

| 42,348

| 318,238

| 427,742

! 37,809,098

!

! Share

| 45.49%

| | 52.42%

| 0.11%

| 0.84%

| 1.13%

! 100%

! colspan=2 | Result

! | 56

! 42

! 1

! 0

! 100

Source:

Gains, losses, and holds

Retirements

Three Republicans and three Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" |State

! scope="col" |Senator

! scope="col" |Replaced by

! Idaho

| |

! Kentucky

| |

! Louisiana

| |

! New Mexico

| |

! Oklahoma

| |

! South Dakota

| |

Defeats

Four Republicans and three Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" |State

! scope="col" |Senator

! scope="col" |Replaced by

! Colorado

| |

! Delaware

| |

! Georgia

| |

! Iowa

| |

! Maine

| |

! North Carolina

| |

! Virginia

| |

Post-election changes

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" |State

! scope="col" |Senator

! scope="col" |Replaced by

! Ohio (Class 3)

| |

Change in composition

Before the elections

After the January 7, 1972, Vermont special election.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

| | D

| width=10% | D

| | D

| | D

| | D

| | D

| colspan=9 align=right | Majority →

| rowspan=2 | D

| | R

| | C

| | I

| | D

| | R

| | R

| | R

| | R

Elections results

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

| | D

| width=10% | D

| | D

| | D

| | D

| | D

| colspan=9 align=right | Majority →

| rowspan=2 | D

| | R

| | C

| | I

| | D

| | R

| | R

| | R

| | R

|- valign=top

! Key:

{| class=wikitable

| align=center | C

| Conservative Party of New York State|

| align=center | D

| Democratic

| align=center | R

| Republican

| align=center | I

| Independent

Race summaries

Special elections during the 92nd Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1972 or before January 3, 1973; ordered by election date, then state.

{| class=wikitable

|- valign=bottom

! rowspan=2 | State

! colspan=3 | Incumbent

! rowspan=2 | Results

! rowspan=2 | Candidates

! Senator

! Party

! Electoral history

! Vermont (Class 1)

| Robert Stafford

| | Republican

| 1971

| Interim appointee elected January 7, 1972.

| nowrap |

! Georgia (Class 2)

| David H. Gambrell

| | Democratic

| 1971

| | Interim appointee lost nomination. New senator elected November 7, 1972. Democratic hold. Winner also elected to the next term, see below.

| nowrap |

Elections leading to the next Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1973; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|- valign=bottom

! rowspan=2 | State

! colspan=3 | Incumbent

! rowspan=2 | Results

! rowspan=2 | Candidates

! Senator

! Party

! Electoral history

! Alabama

| | Democratic

| 1946 1948 1954 1960 1966

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Alaska

| | Republican

| 1968 1970

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Arkansas

| | Democratic

| 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966

| Incumbent re-elected.

| nowrap |

! Colorado

| | Republican

| 1954 1960 1966

| | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain.

| nowrap |

! Delaware

| | Republican

| 1960 1966

| | Incumbent lost re-election. New senator elected. Democratic gain.

| nowrap |

! Georgia

| | Democratic

| 1971

| | Interim appointee lost nomination. New senator elected. Democratic hold. Winner also elected to finish the term, see above.

| nowrap |