akashic
1876–2024
Elections / 1972 · President · WI

Richard Nixon carried Wisconsin R+9.7.

George McGovern (D) vs Richard Nixon (R) in Wisconsin, 1972. The state ran 13.5 points more Democratic than the nation (R+23.2 nationally).

Nominees: George McGovern (D) · Richard Nixon (R)

Wisconsin result
1,851,997 votes counted
McGovern (D)
810,174
43.7%
Nixon (R)
989,430
53.4%
All others
52,393
2.8%
Margin
R+9.7
1972 presidential election
Wisconsin, 1972
NixonR+9.7
1972 presidential margin by county for Wisconsin — 1972 presidential electionA map of the constituent counties of Wisconsin — 1972 presidential election, each outlined and filled by its 1972 presidential margin from deep red (Republican) through neutral to deep blue (Democratic), seated within the faint outlines of the surrounding states.Adams County, WI · R+8.9Ashland County, WI · D+4.0Barron County, WI · R+21.7Bayfield County, WI · R+5.3Brown County, WI · R+16.1Buffalo County, WI · R+10.9Burnett County, WI · R+10.7Calumet County, WI · R+14.2Chippewa County, WI · R+1.4Clark County, WI · R+19.9Columbia County, WI · R+17.4Crawford County, WI · R+19.3Dane County, WI · D+17.2Dodge County, WI · R+25.8Door County, WI · R+30.4Douglas County, WI · D+13.3Dunn County, WI · R+7.8Eau Claire County, WI · R+5.1Florence County, WI · R+11.9Fond du Lac County, WI · R+26.0Forest County, WI · R+4.8Grant County, WI · R+26.0Green County, WI · R+33.8Green Lake County, WI · R+38.5Iowa County, WI · R+16.5Iron County, WI · R+2.2Jackson County, WI · R+23.0Jefferson County, WI · R+21.6Juneau County, WI · R+23.5Kenosha County, WI · R+10.3Kewaunee County, WI · R+17.2La Crosse County, WI · R+28.3Lafayette County, WI · R+26.9Langlade County, WI · R+17.8Lincoln County, WI · R+18.7Manitowoc County, WI · TiedMarathon County, WI · R+7.1Marinette County, WI · R+18.6Marquette County, WI · R+26.7Menominee County, WI · D+25.9Milwaukee County, WI · D+4.5Monroe County, WI · R+34.8Oconto County, WI · R+22.5Oneida County, WI · R+22.0Outagamie County, WI · R+21.9Ozaukee County, WI · R+28.5Pepin County, WI · R+1.7Pierce County, WI · R+2.5Polk County, WI · R+6.6Portage County, WI · D+18.1Price County, WI · R+12.7Racine County, WI · R+15.7Richland County, WI · R+33.6Rock County, WI · R+17.8Rusk County, WI · D+1.1Sauk County, WI · R+18.9Sawyer County, WI · R+26.7Shawano County, WI · R+37.0Sheboygan County, WI · R+0.9St. Croix County, WI · R+6.5Taylor County, WI · R+16.1Trempealeau County, WI · R+14.8Vernon County, WI · R+33.0Vilas County, WI · R+37.5Walworth County, WI · R+34.2Washburn County, WI · R+15.6Washington County, WI · R+18.2Waukesha County, WI · R+25.4Waupaca County, WI · R+42.1Waushara County, WI · R+35.2Winnebago County, WI · R+17.6Wood County, WI · R+16.3
How it voted
Share of the 1972 vote
Richard Nixon ✓Republican53.4%989,430
George McGovernDemocratic43.7%810,174
OtherAll other candidates2.8%52,393
D+60
R+60
72 counties, each filled by 1972 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
Wisconsin's presidential margins
1892–2024, the 1972 contest in context
Wisconsin's presidential marginsDemocratic-minus-Republican presidential margin from 1892 to 2024. Most recent: −0.9% in 2024.flipped R · 2024−0.9%DR18922024
Wisconsin's presidential margins
YearMargin (D minus R)
1892+1.7%
1896−22.9%
1900−24.1%
1904−35.2%
1908−17.8%
1912+8.4%
1916−6.6%
1920−54.9%
1924−29.0%
1928−9.2%
1932+32.3%
1936+33.5%
1940+1.8%
1944−1.8%
1948+4.4%
1952−22.2%
1956−23.7%
1960−3.7%
1964+24.3%
1968−3.6%
1972−9.7%
1976+1.7%
1980−4.7%
1984−9.2%
1988+3.6%
1992+4.4%
1996+10.3%
2000+0.2%
2004+0.4%
2008+13.9%
2012+6.9%
2016−0.8%
2020+0.6%
2024−0.9%
County results — 1972
72 counties; every row links to the county's full page.
CountyWonMarginDemocraticRepublicanTotal
Adams CountyR
−8.9%
1,8332,2004,137
Ashland CountyD
+4.0%
3,7713,4787,411
Barron CountyR
−21.7%
5,3768,41814,045
Bayfield CountyR
−5.3%
2,7363,0455,865
Brown CountyR
−16.1%
26,51137,10165,675
Buffalo CountyR
−10.9%
2,4613,0795,660
Burnett CountyR
−10.7%
2,3892,9725,466
Calumet CountyR
−14.2%
4,8046,44611,542
Chippewa CountyR
−1.4%
8,2108,45117,123
Clark CountyR
−19.9%
4,6177,13812,641
Columbia CountyR
−17.4%
7,08310,12217,447
Crawford CountyR
−19.3%
2,4873,7056,315
Dane CountyD
+17.2%
79,56756,020137,026
Dodge CountyR
−25.8%
9,89817,06827,737
Door CountyR
−30.4%
3,4306,50310,121
Douglas CountyD
+13.3%
11,0548,41919,771
Dunn CountyR
−7.8%
5,6816,66012,556
Eau Claire CountyR
−5.1%
14,30015,88330,943
Florence CountyR
−11.9%
7579711,796
Fond du Lac CountyR
−26.0%
12,05021,00734,443
Forest CountyR
−4.8%
1,6781,8563,729
Grant CountyR
−26.0%
6,91511,87319,061
Green CountyR
−33.8%
3,6347,42211,222
Green Lake CountyR
−38.5%
2,1745,0467,457
Iowa CountyR
−16.5%
3,1314,3877,626
Iron CountyR
−2.2%
1,6481,7233,451
Jackson CountyR
−23.0%
2,4453,9376,476
Jefferson CountyR
−21.6%
9,30314,62124,587
Juneau CountyR
−23.5%
2,9434,8338,030
Kenosha CountyR
−10.3%
19,44124,04144,576
Kewaunee CountyR
−17.2%
3,3604,8028,403
La Crosse CountyR
−28.3%
12,15221,99234,746
Lafayette CountyR
−26.9%
2,8044,8987,786
Langlade CountyR
−17.8%
3,0114,3687,629
Lincoln CountyR
−18.7%
4,1756,20610,840
Manitowoc CountyR
−0.3%
16,48916,59934,220
Marathon CountyR
−7.1%
18,50021,45441,839
Marinette CountyR
−18.6%
5,9008,74015,238
Marquette CountyR
−26.7%
1,5372,6824,284
Menominee CountyD
+25.9%
608355976
Milwaukee CountyD
+4.5%
210,802191,874416,677
Monroe CountyR
−34.8%
3,6407,62511,436
Oconto CountyR
−22.5%
4,0416,51110,965
Oneida CountyR
−22.0%
4,2626,81111,577
Outagamie CountyR
−21.9%
17,44727,53346,008
Ozaukee CountyR
−28.5%
8,50315,75925,466
Pepin CountyR
−1.7%
1,4091,4582,960
Pierce CountyR
−2.5%
5,6115,89911,716
Polk CountyR
−6.6%
5,7386,56712,533
Portage CountyD
+18.1%
13,5649,34623,341
Price CountyR
−12.7%
2,8313,6946,792
Racine CountyR
−15.7%
27,77838,49068,236
Richland CountyR
−33.6%
2,4925,0627,654
Rock CountyR
−17.8%
21,03330,36152,319
Rusk CountyD
+1.1%
3,0753,0076,279
Sauk CountyR
−18.9%
6,98010,28517,493
Sawyer CountyR
−26.7%
1,7653,0814,928
Shawano CountyR
−37.0%
3,9408,80713,142
Sheboygan CountyR
−0.9%
21,11421,50043,519
St. Croix CountyR
−6.5%
7,4888,55316,291
Taylor CountyR
−16.1%
2,9344,1257,383
Trempealeau CountyR
−14.8%
4,2325,72310,095
Vernon CountyR
−33.0%
3,4076,83610,385
Vilas CountyR
−37.5%
1,9074,4226,708
Walworth CountyR
−34.2%
8,59817,82326,967
Washburn CountyR
−15.6%
2,3363,2205,665
Washington CountyR
−18.2%
10,43415,33827,001
Waukesha CountyR
−25.4%
34,57359,39997,622
Waupaca CountyR
−42.1%
4,41811,04015,742
Waushara CountyR
−35.2%
2,0944,4666,739
Winnebago CountyR
−17.6%
20,45029,48851,482
Wood CountyR
−16.3%
10,41514,80626,980