# 1972 United States Senate election in West Virginia

Elections in West Virginia :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2000
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1863
1865
1871
1877
1877 sp
1882
1883
1887
1888
1889
1892
1893
1893 sp
1895
1899
1901
1905
1907
1911
1911 sp
1913
1916
1918
1922
1924
1928
1930
1934
1936
1940
1942
1942 sp
1946
1948
1952
1954
1956 sp
1958
1958 sp
1960
1964
1966
1970
1972
1976
1978
1982
1984
1988
1990
1994
1996
2000
2002
2006
2008
2010 sp
2012
2014
2018
2020
2024
2026
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1863
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1883
3rd sp
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1905
2nd sp
1906
1908
1910
1912
1913
1st sp
1914
1916
2nd sp
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1933
3rd sp
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1951
5th sp
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
3rd sp
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
General elections
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1863
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2011 sp
2012
2016
2020
2024
Attorney General elections
2012
2016
2020
2024
Secretary of State elections
2012
2016
2020
2024
Auditor elections
2012
2016
2020
2024
Treasurer elections
2012
2016
2020
2024
Senate elections
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Delegates elections
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Local government
Charleston (mayoral elections)
2022
Huntington (municipal elections)
2020
2024
Wheeling (municipal elections)
2020
2024 :
vte :
The 1972 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 7, 1972. West Virginia was one of fifteen states alongside Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and South Dakota that were won by Republican President Richard Nixon in 1972 that elected a Democrat to the United States Senate. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph was re-elected to a fourth term and a third full term defeating Louise Leonard in a landslide. This was the only United States Senate election in West Virginia that Jennings Randolph had won by more than 60% of the vote.

## Primary elections
### Democratic primary
#### Candidate

* Jennings Randolph, incumbent U.S. Senator

#### Results

Democratic Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jennings Randolph (incumbent) | 295,017 | 100.00% |

### Republican primary
#### Candidate

* Louise Leonard, incumbent State Senator

#### Results

Republican Party primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Louise Leonard | 112,814 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Results

General election results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Jennings Randolph (incumbent) | 486,310 | 66.45 | 5.94 |
| | Republican | Louise Leonard | 245,531 | 33.55 | 6.95 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 731,841 | 100.00% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |