The American Vote
Cold War RealignmentVA · 11 EV

1972

Virginia: Nixon carries 11 EV.
Virginia cast its 11 electoral votes for Nixon (Republican). National winner: Richard Nixon (Republican) — Virginia voted with the national winner this cycle.

What happened in Virginia, 1972

In 1972, Virginia awarded its 11 electoral votes to Nixon of the Republican party. Virginia ended up on the winning side — Richard Nixon captured the White House that year.

It marked the 2nd consecutive election in which Virginia backed the Republican party, a streak reaching back to 1968. The region divided — North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Maryland joined Virginia for the Republican ticket, while West Virginia and District of Columbia did not. Across the 58 presidential elections Virginia has taken part in, it has most often sided with the Democratic party (33 times). The vote fell within the Cold War Realignment — Nixon, Reagan, and the Republican South.

In the national count, Richard Nixon took 520 of the 538 electoral votes, against George McGovern's 17. Richard Nixon led the national popular vote with 60.67% of the ballots cast.

The 1972 national map
Virginia full history →
ALAKAZARCACOFLGAIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMIMNMSMOMTNENVNMNYNCNDOHOKORPASCSDTNTXUTVAWAWVWIWY

Virginia in nearby cycles