Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: George McGovern, wezvematongerwe enyika weDemocratic Party anobva kuSouth Dakota, akatanga kusarudzwa kuUnited States House of Representatives kuti amiririre dunhu rekutanga reSouth Dakota muna 1956. Akasarudzwazve muna 1958, asati aedza kubudirira kupinda muUnited States Senate muna 1960 achipikisana neRepublican incumbent Karl Earl Mundt. Mushure mekushandira muhurumende yaJohn F. Kennedy semutungamiriri weFood for Peace chirongwa, McGovern akamhanya zvakare kuSeneti uye akakurumidza kukunda akagadzwa Seneta Joseph H. Bottum. Muna 1968, McGovern akakundikana kutsvaka kusarudzwa kweMutungamiri weDemocratic Party pa
Democratic National Convention uye akasarudzwazve kuSeneti pamusoro peyaimbova Gavhuna weSouth Dakota Archie M. Gubbrud. Muna 1972, McGovern akabudirira mumushandirapamwe wake wekutsvaga musarudzo yemutungamiri wenyika yeDemocratic, asi akarasikirwa nesarudzo mukukunda kukuru kuMutungamiri wePurezidhendi Richard Nixon. McGovern akasarudzwazve kupinda muSeneti muna 1974 pamusoro pemurwi weHondo yeVietnam Leo K. Thorsness, asi akarasikirwa nekusarudzwazve muna 1980 kune ipapo-U.S. Representative James Abdnor. McGovern akaita nhangemutange yekupedzisira isina kubudirira yemutungamiri wenyika muna 1984 United States sarudzo dzemutungamiri wenyika.