1972 United States presidential election

The 1972 United States presidential election happened on November 7, 1972. President Richard Nixon was reelected to a second term. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Senator George McGovern of South Dakota. Nixon won the election by a landslide (winning 49 of 50 states) and got 520 electoral votes. McGovern got 17 electoral votes. John Hospers got one electoral vote by a Virginia faithless elector.
This was the highest of any Republican nominee as a vote, as well as a highest electoral vote in a United States election until Ronald Reagan was re-elected in 1984 by a huge landslide.
George Wallace, governor of Alabama was shot by a would-be assassin during the election.
George McGovern's running mate changed from Thomas Eagleton to Sargent Shriver because of revelations about Eagleton's previous psychiatric problems.
This election occurred during the Watergate scandal, which ultimately caused Nixon to resign in 1974.
Candidates.
Democratic Party.
15 people declared their candidacy for the Democratic Party nomination. They were: