1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election

1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election

← 1968 November 7, 1972 1976 →
 
Nominee James Holshouser Skipper Bowles
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 767,470 729,104
Percentage 51.00% 48.45%

County results

Holshouser:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Bowles:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election

Robert W. Scott
Democratic

Elected Governor

James Holshouser
Republican

The 1972 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Republican nominee James Holshouser defeated Democratic nominee Skipper Bowles with 51% of the vote. Holshouser thus became the first Republican elected governor of the state since 1896.

This election was also the first time in a century (since the 1872 election) that a Republican candidate won an outright majority of the vote.