who ran against mcgovern
United States presidential election of 1972. United States presidential election of 1972, American presidential election, 1972EncyclopÃ¦dia Britannica, Inc.American presidential election held on Nov. 7, 1972, in which Republican Pres. Richard M. Nixon was elected to a second term, defeating Democrat George McGovern in one of the largest landslides in U.S. history.