Republican nominee and former member of the New Hampshire Senate Ezekiel A.

Straw defeated incumbent Democratic governor James A. Weston, Labor Reform Party nominee Lemuel P. Cooper and Temperance nominee John Blackmer.

[1] On election day, 12 March 1872, Republican nominee Ezekiel A.

Straw won the election by a margin of 2,167 votes against his foremost opponent incumbent Democratic governor James A. Weston, thereby gaining Republican control over the office of governor.

Straw was sworn in as the 34th governor of New Hampshire on 5 June 1872.