1972 United States Senate election in Virginia

The 1972 United States Senate election in Virginia was held on November 7, 1972. Republican U.S. Representative William L. Scott defeated incumbent Democratic Senator William Spong Jr. Scott was the first Republican U.S. Senator from Virginia to be elected in over a century, as the most recent Republican Senator was John F. Lewis, who had served during the Reconstruction era until 1875.

1972 United States Senate election in Virginia

← 1966 November 7, 1972 1978 →
Turnout	44.7%[1]
Nominee William L. Scott William Spong, Jr. Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 718,337 643,963 Percentage 51.45% 46.12%
County and independent city results Scott:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Spong:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
U.S. senator before election William B. Spong, Jr. Democratic Elected U.S. Senator William Lloyd Scott Republican

He was the first Republican to ever win this seat, and the first non-Democrat since 1889. This is the last time a candidate not named Warner won Virginia's Class 2 Senate seat.

General election

Candidates

• Horace H. Henderson (Independent)
• William Lloyd Scott, U.S. Representative from Fairfax (Republican)
• William B. Spong, Jr., incumbent U.S. senator (Democratic)

Results

United States Senate election in Virginia, 1972^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	William Lloyd Scott	718,337	51.45%	+22.05%
	Democratic	William B. Spong, Jr. (incumbent)	643,963	46.12%	−12.48%
	Independent	Horace E. Henderson	33,912	2.43%
	Write-ins		56	<0.01%	−0.01%
Majority			74,374	5.33%	−19.77%
Turnout			1,396,268
	Republican gain from Democratic