In the election in 1974, Ninagawa fought an uphill battle for his seventh term against the opposing candidate (Kazutaka OHASHI, a former Japan Socialist Party member of House of Councilors) who was backed by the Liberal Democratic Party, the Komeito Party, the Democratic Socialist Party, and also a part of the Japan Socialist Party.
しかし、7期目を目指した1974年の知事選では自民・公明党・民社党に加えて社会党の一部までが組んだ対立候補(前社会党参議院議員だった大橋和孝)に大苦戦。