1972 United States Senate election in Delaware

Wikipedia:AI noticeboard/金色黎明 October 2026 none March 2026 August 2017 1972 United States Senate election in Delaware Delaware presidential no 1966 United States Senate election in Delaware 1966 1978 United States Senate election in Delaware 1978 November 7, 1972 150x150px Joe Biden 1972 Senate portrait (cropped).jpg Joe Biden Democratic Party (United States) 116,006 50.48% BoggsCaleb.jpg J. Caleb Boggs Republican Party (United States) 112,844 49.10% 110px County results 110px State House district results 1 100px Biden: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80%Boggs: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% U.S. Senator J. Caleb Boggs Republican Party (United States) Joe Biden Democratic Party (United States) U.S. senator from Delaware The 1972 United States Senate election in Delaware was held November 7, 1972. Incumbent Republican Senator J. Caleb Boggs ran for a third term in the United States Senate. Boggs faced off against Democrat Joe Biden, a New Castle County councilman. Though Boggs was expected to easily win a third term, Biden narrowly defeated the incumbent on election day, even while fellow Democrat George McGovern lost Delaware by 20.4% in the concurrent presidential election. Biden's victory margin of 3,162 votes made this the closest U.S. Senate election of the year. Biden won a total of seven terms in the Senate, before being elected vice president in 2008 and in 2012 and president in 2020. At the age of 29, Biden became the youngest person to be elected senator since Rush Holt won in West Virginia in 1934. Delaware was one of fifteen states that were won by Richard Nixon that elected Democrats to the United States Senate. Primary and candidates Joe Biden (Democrat), New Castle County Council member J. Caleb Boggs (Republican), incumbent senator and former governor of DelawareWillis Burton D. January 1, 1973 Official Results of General Election https://elections.delaware.gov/elections/resultsarchive/elect72/pdfs/1972.pdf March 17, 2025 Delaware Board of Elections 2 Henry M. Majka (American) Herbert B. Wood (Prohibition) Longtime Delaware political figure and incumbent Republican Senator J. Caleb Boggs was considering retirement, which would likely have left U.S. Representative Pete du Pont and Wilmington Mayor Hal Haskell in a divisive Senate primary. To avoid a potential primary, President Richard Nixon helped convince Boggs to run again with full party support.Nagengast Larry https://archivesfiles.delaware.gov/ebooks/Pierre_S_Du_Pont_IV_Governor_of_DE.pdf Pierre S. Du Pont IV 2006 Delaware Heritage Press 9780924117329 23-24 en 30 December 2024Harsanyi David Opinion: Joe Biden is the luckiest politician in American history https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2020/11/11/opinion-joe-biden-luckiest-politician-american-history/6241598002/ 30 December 2024 The Detroit Newsright|thumb|310x310px|Biden campaign pamphlet Aside from Biden, a New Castle County Councilman, no Democrat wanted to challenge Boggs.Moritz Charles Current Biography Yearbook 1987 H. W. Wilson Company 1987 New York, p. 43. General election Campaign Biden's campaign had virtually no money and was given little to no chance of winning.https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/us/politics/24biden.html Father's Tough Life an Inspiration for Biden Broder, John M. The New York Times October 23, 2008 October 24, 2008 November 8, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201108082045/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/us/politics/24biden.html live The campaign was managed by Biden's sister, Valerie Biden Owens (who managed his future campaigns), was staffed by other members of the Biden family, and relied upon handed-out newsprint position papers.https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14999603 Biden's Road to Senate Took Tragic Turn Naylor, Brian NPR October 8, 2007 September 12, 2008 September 11, 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080911183158/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14999603 live Biden did receive some assistance from the AFL–CIO and from Democratic pollster Patrick Caddell. His campaign focused on withdrawal from the Vietnam War, the environment, civil rights, mass transit, more equitable taxation, health care, the public's dissatisfaction with politics-as-usual, and "change". Biden also opposed giving amnesty to draft dodgers. Despite not supporting the legalization of marijuana, he said in a campaign ad: "the possession of marijuana is a misdemeanor—a minor offense. The police should treat it that way, and devote the greater part of their efforts to heroin."Newell Jim June 11, 2019 When Joe Biden Was the Candidate of the Young Slate https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/06/joe-biden-1972-race-senate.html September 18, 2021 October 21, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211021234732/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/06/joe-biden-1972-race-senate.html live During the summer, Biden trailed Boggs by almost 30 percentage points; however, his energy level, attractive young family, and ability to connect with voters' emotions gave him an advantage over the ready-to-retire Boggs.The Almanac of American Politics Barone Michael Michael Barone (pundit) Cohen, Richard E. Richard E. Cohen 2008 National Journal Group Washington 978-0-89234-117-7 The Almanac of American Politics , p. 364. John Marttila served as one of his consultants and had previously worked for Robert Drinan's campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives.Schudel Matt November 10, 2018 John Marttila, political strategist for Biden, Kerry and other Democrats, dies at 78 The Frederick News-Post November 11, 2018 https://www.fredericknewspost.com/public/ap/john-marttila-political-strategist-for-biden-kerry-and-other-democrats-dies-at-78/article_918bb2a0-85ad-5712-807f-3b0860a5f232.html September 18, 2021 October 1, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211001212441/https://www.fredericknewspost.com/public/ap/john-marttila-political-strategist-for-biden-kerry-and-other-democrats-dies-at-78/article_918bb2a0-85ad-5712-807f-3b0860a5f232.html live Biden's campaign was described as having "no money to speak of" and relied on position papers in newspapers and a few campaign advertisements on the radio. One notable advertisement used by the Biden campaign was a brochure printed in newspaper format that contrasted the world view of the two candidates, e.g. (full page) "To Cale Boggs an unfair tax was the 1948 poll tax"; (opposite page) "To Joe Biden an unfair tax is the 1972 income tax."Erickson Bo June 4, 2019 When a young Joe Biden used his opponent's age against him https://www.cbsnews.com/news/when-a-young-joe-biden-used-his-opponents-age-against-him/" CBS News On November 7, 1972, Biden upset Boggs by a margin of 3,162 votes. Biden varied his messaging during campaign events throughout the state as well. For example, in the southern parts of the state his pitch was: "thirty years ago, caring for the environment meant picking up bottles and beer cans on Rehoboth Beach ... and now it means saving the beach." In the northern parts of the state in the Wilmington area it was "in 1950, Cale Boggs promised to keep highways growing; in 1970 Joe Biden promises to keep trees growing." The 2004 Frank Sheeran biography I Heard You Paint Houses, alleged that in the week prior to Election Day, an unidentified lawyer approached Sheeran about preventing the distribution of the local paper because Boggs was running an advertisement unflattering to Biden. Sheeran claimed that he organized a work stoppage, and that Teamsters truck drivers refused to cross a picket line, so the papers were not delivered. While the credibility of Sheeran's account has been called into question, The New York Times did report a work stoppage preventing the delivery of the Friday edition of The Morning News. 978-1586422387 "I Heard You Paint Houses": Frank "the Irishman" Sheeran and Closing the Case on Jimmy Hoffa Brandt Charles June 29, 2016 Steerforth Press 1972-11-03 Wilmington Paper Halted In Strike by Truck Drivers en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1972/11/03/archives/wilmington-paper-halted-in-strike-by-truck-drivers.html 2022-09-17 0362-4331 September 3, 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220903214958/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/11/03/archives/wilmington-paper-halted-in-strike-by-truck-drivers.html live Results Despite trailing, on Election Day, Biden defeated Boggs in an upset. There were two other candidates in the 1972 Senate election: Henry M. Majka and Herbert B. Wood. Majka came from the American Party while Wood hailed from the Prohibition Party. Majka managed to receive 803 votes, or 0.3% of the vote, while Wood got 175 votes, or 0.1% of the vote.https://books.google.com/books?id=xxyYXCMAdZgC Politics in America Congressional Quarterly, Inc. 1979 169 9780871871480 Google Books1972 United States Senate election in DelawareStatistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972 http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1972election.pdf Clerk of the House of Representatives 8 December 28, 2012 June 10, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110610223601/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1972election.pdf live Democratic Party (United States) Joe Biden 116,006 50.48% +9.59% Republican Party (United States) J. Caleb Boggs (incumbent) 112,844 49.10% −10.02% American Party (1969) Henry M. Majka 803 0.35% N/A Prohibition Party Herbert B. Wood 175 0.07% N/A 229,828 100.00% N/A Democratic Party (US) Republican Party (US) Results by subdivision Biden successfully flipped both New Castle County and Kent County away from the Republican Party. This is the only time that Biden has lost Sussex County in his seven elections to the Senate. This would be the last time that Republicans won any counties for this seat until 2002, when Biden still comfortably won re-election.Leip Dave Senatorial General Election Map Comparison - Delaware https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/comparemaps.php?year=2002&fips=10&f=0&off=3&elect=0&class=2 https://web.archive.org/web/20211109004536/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/comparemaps.php?year=2002&fips=10&f=0&off=3&elect=0&class=2 2021-11-09 2025-04-04 Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential ElectionsNovember 8, 2002 2002 General Election - Department of Elections - State of Delaware https://elections.delaware.gov/elections/resultsarchive/elect02/elect02_general/elect02_office.shtml 2025-04-26 Department of Elections CountyJoe Biden DemocraticJ. Caleb Boggs RepublicanHenry M. Majka AmericanHerbert B. Wood ProhibitionTotal votes cast # % # % # % # % # Kent 14,598 52.36% 13,121 47.06% 140 0.5% 21 0.08% 27,880Willis Burton January 1, 1973 State of Delaware: Official Results of General Election https://elections.delaware.gov/elections/resultsarchive/elect72/pdfs/1972.pdf live https://web.archive.org/web/20161203125310/http://elections.delaware.gov/electionresults/pdfs/1972.pdf December 3, 2016 September 8, 2021 Delaware Department of Elections PDF New Castle 85,017 50.32% 83,273 49.29% 532 0.31% 133 0.08% 168,955 Sussex 16,391 49.68% 16,450 49.86% 131 0.4% 21 0.06% 32,993Totals116,00650.48%112,84449.10%8030.35%1750.07%229,828 DistrictJoe Biden DemocraticJ. Caleb Boggs RepublicanHenry M. Majka AmericanHerbert B. Wood ProhibitionTotal votes cast District 1 3,398 3,481 17 10 6,906= District 2 2,044 1,052 12 4 3,112 District 3 1,804 1,039 6 22,851 District 4 2,112 1,129 4 4 3,249 District 5 3,549 1,357 18 2 4,926 District 6 3,200 3,798 17 9 7,024 District 7 2,836 3,772 25 13 6,646 District 8 2,943 2,911 31 6 5,891 District 9 2,735 2,781 26 7 5,549 District 10 2,835 4,325 11 0 7,171 District 11 2,980 5,280 21 9 8,290 District 12 2,696 4,394 19 4 7,113 District 13 2,420 5,010 29 8 7,467 District 14 3,423 3,589 16 3 7,031 District 15 3,826 2,072 13 0 5,911 District 16 3,127 2,816 20 7 5,970 District 17 2,620 1,662 20 4 4,306 District 18 2,580 1,532 19 5 4,136 District 19 3,295 2,703 11 5 6,014 District 20 3,224 2,209 28 2 5,463 District 21 3,012 2,481 13 3 5,509 District 22 3,248 3,381 23 4 6,656 District 23 3,141 3,108 20 5 6,274 District 24 3,339 2,885 20 2 6,246 District 25 3,369 3,347 11 2 6,729 District 26 2,202 1,927 17 2 4,148 District 27 3,430 4,066 27 5 7,528 District 28 2,575 2,562 24 3 5,164 District 29 3,054 2,604 14 3 5,675 District 30 2,794 2,482 32 2 5,310 District 31 2,633 2,642 32 3 5,310 District 32 2,534 2,792 16 2 5,344 District 33 2,507 2,074 26 5 4,612 District 34 1,141 1,037 9 1 2,188 District 35 2,989 2,094 25 8 5,116 District 36 2,965 2,537 43 9 5,554 District 37 2,882 3,853 20 3 6,758 District 38 2,598 2,432 22 2 5,054 District 39 2,746 2,711 21 3 5,481 District 40 2,617 2,436 11 2 5,066 District 41 2,583 2,481 14 2 5,080Total116,006112,844803175229,828 Aftermath A few weeks later, on December 18, 1972, Biden's wife and daughter died in a car crash which injured his sons.December 19, 1972 Biden's Wife, Child Killed in Car Crash The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/19/archives/bidens-wife-child-killed-in-car-crash.html 9 January 8, 2021 United Press International 0362-4331 December 2, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201202063824/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/19/archives/bidens-wife-child-killed-in-car-crash.html live Biden contemplated resigning the Senate seat, and told his brother to talk with governor-elect Sherman W. Tribbitt about his successor. Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield persuaded Biden to stay in the Senate for at least six months.Levey Noam M. August 24, 2008 In his home state, Biden is a regular Joe Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-aug-24-na-biden24-story.html September 7, 2008 December 30, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191230125100/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-aug-24-na-biden24-story.html live Biden was sworn in at the hospital where his sons were recovering.Fact Check: Photo of Biden’s 1973 swearing-in as senator shows son Beau, not Hunter https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/photo-bidens-1973-swearing-in-senator-shows-son-beau-not-hunter-2024-12-27/ Reuters 30 December 2024 Biden held the seat until his election as vice president 36 years later.Lee Carol E. 2009-01-15 Biden says goodbye to the Senate https://www.politico.com/story/2009/01/biden-says-goodbye-to-the-senate-017514 2025-04-04 Politico en At the time of the 1972 election, Biden was 29 years old. He turned 30—the minimum age for a U.S. senator—on November 20, 1972, in time for the Senate term beginning January 3, 1973. At the commencement of his Senate term, Biden was the sixth-youngest U.S. senator in history.https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Youngest_Senator.htm U.S. Senate: Youngest Senator February 16, 2018 December 26, 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20021226155950/https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Youngest_Senator.htm live References 2 1972 Delaware Category:1972 Delaware elections 1972 election