Why Did Hawaii Go So Strongly For Nixon In 1972?

[Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey]

Anybody have any ideas?

[nclib]

Hawaii has a strong pro-incumbent bias.

[Fuzzybigfoot]

That is a rather stumping question.  Maybe because McGovern wanted to cut defense spending, which recieved bad feedback from the military families (like in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu)?

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

Hawaii has a strong pro-incumbent bias.

This.

Hawaii was competitive in 04.

[feeblepizza]

Hawaii has a strong pro-incumbent bias.

This -

1960: Voted for the non-incumbent party by 0.3%
1964: Gave President Johnson 78.8%
1968: Voted for the incumbent party by 21%
1972: Gave President Nixon 62%
1976: Voted for the non-incumbent party by 2.5%
1980: Voted for President Carter by 2.1%
1984: Voted for President Reagan by 12%
1988: Voted for the non-incumbent party by 10%
1992: Voted for the non-incumbent party by 12%
1996: Voted for President Clinton by 25%
2000: Voted for the incumbent party by 18%
2004: Voted for the non-incumbent party by 9%
2008: Gave Obama 72% of the vote

The only exceptions to the "Hawaiian incumbent rule" seem to be 1988, 1992, and 2008 (2004 was an exception because Hawaii was called late, late into the night that year).

[Phony Moderate]

In 2004, Bush actually had a one-point lead in Hawaii on election day.

http://electoral-vote.com/evp2004/nov/nov02.html