1972 Orlando mayoral election
September 12, 1972
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| Elections in Florida |
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| Government |
The 1972 Orlando mayoral election took place on September 12, 1972. Incumbent Mayor Carl T. Langford ran for re-election to a second full term, which he said would be his last. He was challenged for re-election by Reverend Jack Mitchell, the Florida director of the Congress for Racial Equality (CORE).
Mitchell's campaign was supported by CORE, which focused its local electoral efforts on his campaign. He attacked Langford for failing to deliver on promises to remove parking meters and to build a civic center, and suggested the creation of an Orlando city school district to solve local concerns over busing.
Despite Mitchell's spirited campaign, Langford remained the frontrunner, raising significantly more funds than Mitchell, and ultimately defeated him in a landslide, winning re-election with 78 percent of the vote.