Defeated by richard nixon in the 1972 presidential election

George McGovern was defeated by Richard Nixon in the 1972 presidential election. The United States presidential election held in the year 1972 was actually the 47th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on a Tuesday on the 7th of November. George McGovern was the nominated candidate of the Democratic Party and Nixon was the nominated candidate of the Republican Party for the presidential election of 1972. Nixon was the hands down winner as he got more than 60% of the popular vote.