1972 United States Senate election in Michigan

← 1966 November 7, 1972 1978 →

Nominee Robert P. Griffin Frank J. Kelley Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,781,065 1,577,178 Percentage 52.28% 46.29%

County results Griffin:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Kelley:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Robert P. Griffin Republican Elected U.S. Senator Robert P. Griffin Republican

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The 1972 United States Senate election in Michigan was held on November 7, 1972. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator and Senate Minority Whip Robert P. Griffin ran for re-election to a second term. Griffin won reelection, defeating the Democratic nominee and Michigan Attorney General Frank J. Kelley by 6%. Despite President Richard Nixon’s landslide victory in Michigan and the rest of the country, Griffin’s margin of victory decreased from the previous election.

As of 2025, this was the last time that the Republicans have won Michigan’s Class 2 Senate seat, as well as the last time that a Republican won re-election to either Senate seat in Michigan. Since this election, Republicans have only won one more Michigan U.S. race, in 1994.

• Thomas D. Dennis Jr. (Communist)
• Patrick V. Dillinger (American Independent)
• Robert P. Griffin, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1967 (Republican)
• Barbara Halpert (Human Rights)
• Frank J. Kelley, Michigan Attorney General (Democratic)
• Linda Norquist (Socialist Workers)
• James Sim (Socialist Labor)

General election results^[1][2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Robert P. Griffin (incumbent)	1,781,065	52.28%	3.62
	Democratic	Frank J. Kelley	1,577,178	46.29%	2.44
	American Independent	Patrick V. Dillinger	23,121	0.68%	N/A
	Human Rights	Barbara Halpert	19,118	0.56%	N/A
	Socialist Workers	Linda Norquist	2,389	0.07%	N/A
	Socialist Labor	James Sim	2,127	0.06%	0.19
	Communist	Thomas D. Dennis Jr.	1,908	0.06%	N/A
Total votes			3,406,906	100.00%

• 1972 United States Senate elections