1972 United States presidential election (The 1968 Deadlock)

The 1972 United States presidential election was the 47th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 7, 1972. Incumbent Democratic President Carl Albert of Oklahoma defeated Republican Governor Ronald Reagan of California, winning a full term in office. It remains the closest popular vote margin in an American presidential election, as well as the first time when California had more electoral votes than New York.

Despite only assuming the presidency almost two years before the election was held, Albert faced no Democratic opposition and was easily renominated for a full term, along with his hastily-appointed vice president, William Barrett. Reagan, however, survived a bruising primary, defeating party heavyweights such as former Vice President Spiro Agnew and Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York.

Albert emphasized the strong economy and his experience as president, while Reagan stressed the fact that he was an outsider running to change Washington. Both utilized their record and biography heavily. Reagan held a consistent polling lead through the election season, but a gradual increase in support for Albert's candidacy through October and November caused the polls to practically tie by election day. On election night, both candidates won several swing states by razor-thin margins, but neither had amassed 270 electoral votes, the amount needed to secure an absolute majority in the Electoral College, as Florida had yet to be called. Ultimately, after several recounts, it was determined that Albert had won Florida by 876 votes, securing his re-election bid. This election was the first since 1960 to feature a presidential debate, and the first ever to feature a vice presidential debate between Vice President William Barrett and Governor George Romney of Michigan. Although Albert is widely viewed to have lost the first debate badly and the second one narrowly, he won the third one, and this is credited with starting the momentum that would carry him to victory that November.

This presidential election remains the last time the Democratic ticket would win the election without carrying Michigan, and the first to feature an incumbent president who had never been elected to the presidency or vice-presidency. It is also the only time an Oklahoman has been elected president, or even appeared on a presidential ticket.

Democratic nomination
Democratic candidates:
 * Carl Albert, President of the United States from Oklahoma


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Primaries
Despite having a struggling approval rating amongst the general public, Carl Albert remained broadly popular within his party, satisfying every wing to some extent. Because of this, nobody seriously challenged him in the primaries, and he secured the nomination easily.

Primary results
Primaries popular vote result:
 * Carl Albert – 5,209,561 (99.6%)
 * Other Candidates/Write-in - 20,921 (0.4%)

Convention
The Democratic National Convention was held at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida, from July 10 to July 13, 1972. Carl Albert and William Barrett were renominated by the convention hall without opposition.