1972 United States House of Representatives elections
District Incumbent Party First elected Result Candidates
Mississippi 1 Jamie L. Whitten Redistricted from the 2nd district Democratic 1941 Incumbent re-elected √ Jamie L. Whitten ( Democratic ) Unopposed
Mississippi 2 Thomas Abernethy Redistricted from the 1st district Democratic 1942 Incumbent retired . New member elected . Democratic hold √ David R. Bowen ( Democratic ) 61.9% Carl Butler ( Republican ) 34.7% Robert J. Coleman ( Independent ) 2.5% Norman Smith ( Independent ) 0.9%
Mississippi 3 Gillespie V. Montgomery Redistricted from the 4th district Democratic 1966 Incumbent re-elected √ Gillespie V. Montgomery ( Democratic ) Unopposed
Mississippi 4 Charles H. Griffin Redistricted from the 3rd district Democratic 1968 Incumbent retired . New member elected . Republican gain √ Thad Cochran ( Republican ) 47.9% Ellis B. Bodron ( Democratic ) 44.0% Eddie L. McBride ( Independent ) 8.2%
Mississippi 5 William M. Colmer Democratic 1932 Incumbent retired . New member elected . Republican gain √ Trent Lott ( Republican ) 55.3% Ben Stone ( Democratic ) 44.2% Earnest J. Creel ( Independent ) 0.5%
Mississippi
Main article : 1972 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi See also : List of United States Representatives from Mississippi
The 1972 United States House of Representatives elections coincided with the landslide reelection victory of President Richard M. Nixon. Nixon's Republican Party managed to gain a net of twelve House of Representatives seats from the Democratic Party, although the Democrats retained a majority. This was the first election in which citizens at least 18 years of age (instead of 21 and older) could vote, due to the recent passage of the 26th Amendment.