# 1972 United States presidential election in Missouri

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The 1972 United States presidential election in Missouri took place on November 7, 1972. All fifty states and the District of Columbia were part of the 1972 United States presidential election. Voters chose 12 electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
Missouri was won by the Republican nominees, incumbent President Richard Nixon of California and his running mate Vice President Spiro Agnew of Maryland. Nixon and Agnew defeated the Democratic nominees, Senator George McGovern of South Dakota and his running mate U.S. Ambassador Sargent Shriver of Maryland.
In a state substantially part of the conservative South, McGovern was viewed by many voters as a left-wing extremist because of his support for busing and civil rights, plus his opposition to the Vietnam War, support for granting amnesty to draft dodgers and support for a thousand-dollar giveaway to each American as a solution to poverty. Many, especially Republican campaigners, also believed McGovern would legalise abortion and illicit drugs if he were elected – despite the fact that his running mate Sargent Shriver was firmly opposed to abortion. These fears of McGovern's social radicalism were especially pronounced amongst poorer whites, who were abundant in the southern part of Missouri.
Nixon carried Missouri with 62.29% of the vote to McGovern's 37.71%, a victory margin of 24.58%, becoming the first Republican to ever carry Missouri more than once. Nixon won all but two jurisdictions: Monroe County and St. Louis City.
As of the 2024 presidential election, this is the last election in which Jackson County, which contains most of Kansas City, as well as Independence, the hometown of former Democratic president Harry S. Truman (who died seven weeks after the election), voted for a Republican presidential candidate.

## Results

General election results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Richard Nixon (incumbent) | 1,154,058 | 62.29% |
| | Democratic | George McGovern | 698,531 | 37.71% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,852,589 | 100% |

### Results by county

| County | Richard Nixon Republican | Richard Nixon Republican | George McGovern Democratic | George McGovern Democratic | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adair | 6,157 | 72.92% | 2,286 | 27.08% | 3,871 | 45.84% | 8,443 |
| Andrew | 4,180 | 71.26% | 1,686 | 28.74% | 2,494 | 42.52% | 5,866 |
| Atchison | 2,927 | 65.98% | 1,509 | 34.02% | 1,418 | 31.96% | 4,436 |
| Audrain | 7,197 | 66.01% | 3,706 | 33.99% | 3,491 | 32.02% | 10,903 |
| Barry | 7,295 | 69.73% | 3,167 | 30.27% | 4,128 | 39.46% | 10,462 |
| Barton | 4,026 | 77.93% | 1,140 | 22.07% | 2,886 | 55.86% | 5,166 |
| Bates | 5,314 | 63.76% | 3,020 | 36.24% | 2,294 | 27.52% | 8,334 |
| Benton | 3,537 | 71.31% | 1,423 | 28.69% | 2,114 | 42.62% | 4,960 |
| Bollinger | 3,069 | 62.80% | 1,818 | 37.20% | 1,251 | 25.60% | 4,887 |
| Boone | 17,488 | 56.13% | 13,666 | 43.87% | 3,822 | 12.26% | 31,154 |
| Buchanan | 21,850 | 65.72% | 11,395 | 34.28% | 10,455 | 31.44% | 33,245 |
| Butler | 9,198 | 72.63% | 3,466 | 27.37% | 5,732 | 45.26% | 12,664 |
| Caldwell | 3,167 | 72.01% | 1,231 | 27.99% | 1,936 | 44.02% | 4,398 |
| Callaway | 6,313 | 67.53% | 3,036 | 32.47% | 3,277 | 35.06% | 9,349 |
| Camden | 4,996 | 73.94% | 1,761 | 26.06% | 3,235 | 47.88% | 6,757 |
| Cape Girardeau | 15,693 | 71.42% | 6,280 | 28.58% | 9,413 | 42.84% | 21,973 |
| Carroll | 4,100 | 68.03% | 1,927 | 31.97% | 2,173 | 36.06% | 6,027 |
| Carter | 1,257 | 68.99% | 565 | 31.01% | 692 | 37.98% | 1,822 |
| Cass | 9,242 | 71.24% | 3,731 | 28.76% | 5,511 | 42.48% | 12,973 |
| Cedar | 3,520 | 75.34% | 1,152 | 24.66% | 2,368 | 50.68% | 4,672 |
| Chariton | 2,812 | 58.45% | 1,999 | 41.55% | 813 | 16.90% | 4,811 |
| Christian | 6,305 | 76.42% | 1,945 | 23.58% | 4,360 | 52.84% | 8,250 |
| Clark | 2,499 | 64.04% | 1,403 | 35.96% | 1,096 | 28.08% | 3,902 |
| Clay | 33,017 | 69.43% | 14,538 | 30.57% | 18,479 | 38.86% | 47,555 |
| Clinton | 3,924 | 66.87% | 1,944 | 33.13% | 1,980 | 33.74% | 5,868 |
| Cole | 16,685 | 77.83% | 4,754 | 22.17% | 11,931 | 55.66% | 21,439 |
| Cooper | 5,172 | 68.92% | 2,332 | 31.08% | 2,840 | 37.84% | 7,504 |
| Crawford | 4,595 | 67.15% | 2,248 | 32.85% | 2,347 | 34.30% | 6,843 |
| Dade | 2,624 | 77.84% | 747 | 22.16% | 1,877 | 55.68% | 3,371 |
| Dallas | 3,120 | 74.20% | 1,085 | 25.80% | 2,035 | 48.40% | 4,205 |
| Daviess | 2,840 | 66.51% | 1,430 | 33.49% | 1,410 | 33.02% | 4,270 |
| DeKalb | 2,766 | 67.38% | 1,339 | 32.62% | 1,427 | 34.76% | 4,105 |
| Dent | 3,024 | 63.88% | 1,710 | 36.12% | 1,314 | 27.76% | 4,734 |
| Douglas | 3,773 | 75.73% | 1,209 | 24.27% | 2,564 | 51.46% | 4,982 |
| Dunklin | 5,926 | 68.10% | 2,776 | 31.90% | 3,150 | 36.20% | 8,702 |
| Franklin | 13,785 | 64.87% | 7,464 | 35.13% | 6,321 | 29.74% | 21,249 |
| Gasconade | 4,944 | 80.13% | 1,226 | 19.87% | 3,718 | 60.26% | 6,170 |
| Gentry | 2,984 | 64.50% | 1,642 | 35.50% | 1,342 | 29.00% | 4,626 |
| Greene | 48,348 | 70.58% | 20,155 | 29.42% | 28,193 | 41.16% | 68,503 |
| Grundy | 3,969 | 73.54% | 1,428 | 26.46% | 2,541 | 47.08% | 5,397 |
| Harrison | 3,574 | 72.10% | 1,383 | 27.90% | 2,191 | 44.20% | 4,957 |
| Henry | 5,802 | 64.99% | 3,125 | 35.01% | 2,677 | 29.98% | 8,927 |
| Hickory | 1,851 | 74.85% | 622 | 25.15% | 1,229 | 49.70% | 2,473 |
| Holt | 2,578 | 71.83% | 1,011 | 28.17% | 1,567 | 43.66% | 3,589 |
| Howard | 2,613 | 56.15% | 2,041 | 43.85% | 572 | 12.30% | 4,654 |
| Howell | 7,253 | 72.18% | 2,795 | 27.82% | 4,458 | 44.36% | 10,048 |
| Iron | 2,203 | 62.07% | 1,346 | 37.93% | 857 | 24.14% | 3,549 |
| Jackson | 129,989 | 58.34% | 92,830 | 41.66% | 37,159 | 16.68% | 222,819 |
| Jasper | 22,482 | 74.61% | 7,652 | 25.39% | 14,830 | 49.22% | 30,134 |
| Jefferson | 21,947 | 61.42% | 13,787 | 38.58% | 8,160 | 22.84% | 35,734 |
| Johnson | 7,228 | 70.37% | 3,044 | 29.63% | 4,184 | 40.74% | 10,272 |
| Knox | 1,896 | 64.78% | 1,031 | 35.22% | 865 | 29.56% | 2,927 |
| Laclede | 6,152 | 73.78% | 2,186 | 26.22% | 3,966 | 47.56% | 8,338 |
| Lafayette | 9,187 | 69.34% | 4,063 | 30.66% | 5,124 | 38.68% | 13,250 |
| Lawrence | 8,445 | 72.96% | 3,130 | 27.04% | 5,315 | 45.92% | 11,575 |
| Lewis | 2,738 | 61.76% | 1,695 | 38.24% | 1,043 | 23.52% | 4,433 |
| Lincoln | 5,127 | 64.81% | 2,784 | 35.19% | 2,343 | 29.62% | 7,911 |
| Linn | 4,595 | 59.92% | 3,073 | 40.08% | 1,522 | 19.84% | 7,668 |
| Livingston | 5,253 | 66.37% | 2,662 | 33.63% | 2,591 | 32.74% | 7,915 |
| Macon | 4,538 | 61.47% | 2,844 | 38.53% | 1,694 | 22.94% | 7,382 |
| Madison | 2,837 | 66.16% | 1,451 | 33.84% | 1,386 | 32.32% | 4,288 |
| Maries | 2,082 | 63.07% | 1,219 | 36.93% | 863 | 26.14% | 3,301 |
| Marion | 7,197 | 63.31% | 4,171 | 36.69% | 3,026 | 26.62% | 11,368 |
| McDonald | 4,339 | 70.83% | 1,787 | 29.17% | 2,552 | 41.66% | 6,126 |
| Mercer | 1,592 | 72.40% | 607 | 27.60% | 985 | 44.80% | 2,199 |
| Miller | 5,682 | 78.05% | 1,598 | 21.95% | 4,084 | 56.10% | 7,280 |
| Mississippi | 2,727 | 64.97% | 1,470 | 35.03% | 1,257 | 29.94% | 4,197 |
| Moniteau | 3,963 | 73.96% | 1,395 | 26.04% | 2,568 | 47.92% | 5,358 |
| Monroe | 2,141 | 48.22% | 2,299 | 51.78% | −158 | −3.56% | 4,440 |
| Montgomery | 3,707 | 68.67% | 1,691 | 31.33% | 2,016 | 37.34% | 5,398 |
| Morgan | 4,021 | 70.47% | 1,685 | 29.53% | 2,336 | 40.94% | 5,706 |
| New Madrid | 4,735 | 57.50% | 3,500 | 42.50% | 1,235 | 15.00% | 8,235 |
| Newton | 10,701 | 71.38% | 4,291 | 28.62% | 6,410 | 42.76% | 14,992 |
| Nodaway | 5,942 | 64.14% | 3,322 | 35.86% | 2,620 | 28.28% | 9,264 |
| Oregon | 2,118 | 61.04% | 1,352 | 38.96% | 766 | 22.08% | 3,470 |
| Osage | 4,266 | 74.18% | 1,485 | 25.82% | 2,781 | 48.36% | 5,751 |
| Ozark | 2,119 | 77.22% | 625 | 22.78% | 1,494 | 54.44% | 2,744 |
| Pemiscot | 4,697 | 69.96% | 2,017 | 30.04% | 2,680 | 39.92% | 6,714 |
| Perry | 4,736 | 70.80% | 1,953 | 29.20% | 2,783 | 41.60% | 6,689 |
| Pettis | 10,065 | 66.74% | 5,016 | 33.26% | 5,049 | 33.48% | 15,081 |
| Phelps | 7,598 | 68.05% | 3,567 | 31.95% | 4,031 | 36.10% | 11,165 |
| Pike | 4,452 | 62.61% | 2,659 | 37.39% | 1,793 | 25.22% | 7,111 |
| Platte | 8,764 | 67.69% | 4,183 | 32.31% | 4,581 | 35.38% | 12,947 |
| Polk | 5,409 | 70.67% | 2,245 | 29.33% | 3,164 | 41.34% | 7,654 |
| Pulaski | 4,243 | 69.04% | 1,903 | 30.96% | 2,340 | 38.08% | 6,146 |
| Putnam | 2,112 | 78.72% | 571 | 21.28% | 1,541 | 57.44% | 2,683 |
| Ralls | 1,827 | 57.13% | 1,371 | 42.87% | 456 | 14.26% | 3,198 |
| Randolph | 5,195 | 57.66% | 3,814 | 42.34% | 1,381 | 15.32% | 9,009 |
| Ray | 4,205 | 59.65% | 2,844 | 40.35% | 1,361 | 19.30% | 7,049 |
| Reynolds | 1,541 | 59.91% | 1,031 | 40.09% | 510 | 19.82% | 2,572 |
| Ripley | 2,810 | 67.37% | 1,361 | 32.63% | 1,449 | 34.74% | 4,171 |
| St. Charles | 25,677 | 69.94% | 11,034 | 30.06% | 14,643 | 39.88% | 36,711 |
| St. Clair | 2,847 | 66.88% | 1,410 | 33.12% | 1,437 | 33.76% | 4,257 |
| St. Francois | 8,812 | 65.42% | 4,658 | 34.58% | 4,154 | 30.84% | 13,470 |
| St. Louis | 264,147 | 62.16% | 160,801 | 37.84% | 103,346 | 24.32% | 424,948 |
| St. Louis City | 72,402 | 37.67% | 119,817 | 62.33% | −47,415 | −24.66% | 192,219 |
| Ste. Genevieve | 2,900 | 56.34% | 2,247 | 43.66% | 653 | 12.68% | 5,147 |
| Saline | 6,641 | 65.75% | 3,460 | 34.25% | 3,181 | 31.50% | 10,101 |
| Schuyler | 1,495 | 60.14% | 991 | 39.86% | 504 | 20.28% | 2,486 |
| Scotland | 1,918 | 60.18% | 1,269 | 39.82% | 649 | 20.36% | 3,187 |
| Scott | 7,316 | 66.74% | 3,646 | 33.26% | 3,670 | 33.48% | 10,962 |
| Shannon | 1,623 | 58.87% | 1,134 | 41.13% | 489 | 17.74% | 2,757 |
| Shelby | 2,057 | 56.73% | 1,569 | 43.27% | 488 | 13.46% | 3,626 |
| Stoddard | 6,282 | 70.44% | 2,636 | 29.56% | 3,646 | 40.88% | 8,918 |
| Stone | 4,180 | 79.26% | 1,094 | 20.74% | 3,086 | 58.52% | 5,274 |
| Sullivan | 2,611 | 62.18% | 1,588 | 37.82% | 1,023 | 24.36% | 4,199 |
| Taney | 4,982 | 77.64% | 1,435 | 22.36% | 3,547 | 55.28% | 6,417 |
| Texas | 5,104 | 65.09% | 2,737 | 34.91% | 2,367 | 30.18% | 7,841 |
| Vernon | 4,892 | 61.54% | 3,057 | 38.46% | 1,835 | 23.08% | 7,949 |
| Warren | 3,530 | 74.24% | 1,225 | 25.76% | 2,305 | 48.48% | 4,755 |
| Washington | 3,818 | 63.14% | 2,229 | 36.86% | 1,589 | 26.28% | 6,047 |
| Wayne | 3,091 | 63.90% | 1,746 | 36.10% | 1,345 | 27.80% | 4,837 |
| Webster | 5,095 | 68.50% | 2,343 | 31.50% | 2,752 | 37.00% | 7,438 |
| Worth | 1,170 | 61.68% | 727 | 38.32% | 443 | 23.36% | 1,897 |
| Wright | 4,350 | 76.08% | 1,368 | 23.92% | 2,982 | 52.16% | 5,718 |
| Totals | 1,154,058 | 62.29% | 698,531 | 37.71% | 455,527 | 24.58% | 1,852,589 |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Dunklin
* Howard
* Jefferson
* Iron
* Jackson
* Lewis
* Linn
* Marion
* Mississippi
* Oregon
* New Madrid
* Pike
* Ray
* Randolph
* Reynolds
* Ralls
* Scott
* Shelby
* Shannon
* St. Genevieve

#### Counties that flipped from American Independent to Republican

* Pemiscot