Though Sanford enjoyed his time as Duke 's president , he still harbored political ambitions . As the 1972 presidential primary season began , he was approached by several people who felt that the field of Democratic candidates was weak . He was particularly keen to challenge Alabama governor George Wallace in an effort to show that Wallace 's segregationist views did not represent majority Southern opinion . Announcing his candidacy on March 8 , he faced long odds in a crowded field . Knowing that he could not win a majority of delegates in the primary , he hoped to secure enough to emerge as a compromise candidate in a deadlocked convention . Even in the North Carolina primary , however , Wallace beat Sanford by 100,000 votes , and Sanford managed only a fifth-place finish at the 1972 Democratic National Convention with 77.5 votes , behind George McGovern ( 1,864.95 ) , Henry M. Jackson ( 525 ) , Wallace ( 381.7 ) , and Shirley Chisholm ( 151.95 )
1972 Democratic National Convention
1972 Democratic National Convention
Terry Sanford