The 2008 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 4, 2008, to elect members to the United States House of Representatives to serve in the 111th United States Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. It coincided with the election of Barack Obama as president. All 435 voting seats, as well as all 6 non-voting seats, were up for election. The Democratic Party, which won a majority of seats in the 2006 election, expanded its control in 2008.

The Republican Party, hoping to regain the majority it lost in the 2006 election or at least expand its congressional membership, lost additional seats. With one exception (Louisiana's 2nd district), the only seats to switch from Democratic to Republican had been Republican-held prior to the 2006 elections. Republicans gained five Democratic seats total, while losing 26 of their own, giving the Democrats a net gain of 21 seats, effectively erasing all gains made by the GOP since 1994. In addition, with the defeat of Republican congressman Chris Shays in Connecticut's 4th district, this became the first time since the 1850s that no Republican represented the New England region.

The 10.6% popular vote advantage by the Democrats was the largest by either party since 1982, 26 years earlier, and as of 2022 remains the most recent time that either party won by a double-digit margin in the overall popular vote for the House of Representatives. Turnout increased due to the concurrent presidential election. The presidential election, 2008 Senate elections, and 2008 gubernatorial elections, as well as many other state and local elections, occurred on the same date. This was the first and, as of 2022, the only election since 1980 in which the party of a newly elected president simultaneously gained seats in the House. It was the only time since 1994, and the last time until 2018, that Republicans held less than 200 House seats.

As of 2022, this remains the last election in which Democrats won house seats in Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota, the last election in which Democrats won more than one seat in Alabama, and the last election in which Democrats won a majority of seats in Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. It is also the last time Republicans won a seat in Delaware.

Results summary

Federal

Per state

^A The number of non-voting members also includes the non-voting member-elect from Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi, who is a member of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico, but will caucus with the Democrats. The New Progressive Party is affiliated with both the Democratic and Republican Parties and the last representative from Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, caucused with the Republicans. The vote total for the non-voting members also includes the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico, which has ties to the Democratic Party.

^B Both non-voting independents, American Samoa's representative Eni Faleomavaega and the Northern Mariana Islands' representative-elect Gregorio Sablan, will caucus with the Democrats. In America Samoa all elections are non-partisan. In the Northern Mariana Islands, Sablan appeared on the ballot as an independent.

Maps

Retiring incumbents

Thirty-three incumbents voluntarily retired.

Democratic incumbents

All seven seats held by retiring Democrats were won by Democrats.

1. Alabama 5: Bud Cramer: "[T]o spend more time with my family and begin another chapter in my life"
2. California 12: Tom Lantos: died February 11, 2008, having already announced his planned retirement.
3. Colorado 2: Mark Udall: Ran for and won the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Wayne Allard.
4. Maine 1: Tom Allen: Ran against and lost to Susan Collins in the U.S. Senate election.
5. New Mexico 3: Tom Udall: Ran for and won the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Pete Domenici.
6. New York 21: Michael McNulty: "[I]t's not what I want to do for the rest of my life."
7. Oregon 5: Darlene Hooley: Because of the "cumulative effect of arduous travel, the relentless demands of fund-raising and 32 years of public service"

Republican incumbents

Twenty-seven Republicans retired. Thirteen of their seats were then won by Democrats (see Open seat gains, below).

1. Alabama 2: Terry Everett: Because of age and health
2. Arizona 1: Rick Renzi: To fight federal criminal charges involving a land-swap deal
3. California 4: John Doolittle: To fight an FBI corruption investigation
4. California 52: Duncan Hunter Ran for and lost the race for the Republican nomination for president. Already planned to retire
5. Colorado 6: Tom Tancredo: Ran for and lost the race for the Republican nomination for President
6. Florida 15: Dave Weldon: To return to his medical practice
7. Illinois 11: Jerry Weller: To spend more time with his family, amid questions about his Nicaraguan land dealings, his wife's investments, and his relationship to an indicted defense contractor
8. Illinois 18: Ray LaHood (On December 19, 2008, President-elect Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate LaHood to serve as the next Secretary of Transportation.) He was later confirmed.
9. Kentucky 2: Ron Lewis
10. Louisiana 4: Jim McCrery
11. Minnesota 3: Jim Ramstad
12. Mississippi 3: Chip Pickering
13. Missouri 9: Kenny Hulshof: Ran for and lost the election for governor
14. New Jersey 3: Jim Saxton: Because of age and health
15. New Jersey 7: Mike Ferguson: To spend more time with his family
16. New Mexico 1: Heather Wilson: Ran in and lost the Republican primary for New Mexico's open U.S. Senate seat
17. New Mexico 2: Steve Pearce: Ran for and lost the election for New Mexico's open U.S. Senate seat
18. New York 13: Vito Fossella: Amid scandal following a drunk driving arrest which led to revelations of infidelity and a secret family he maintained in Virginia
19. New York 25: Jim Walsh
20. New York 26: Tom Reynolds
21. Ohio 7: Dave Hobson: "I wanted to go out on top"
22. Ohio 15: Deborah Pryce: To spend more time with her family
23. Ohio 16: Ralph Regula
24. Pennsylvania 5: John Peterson: To spend more time with his family
25. Puerto Rico's at-large congressional district: Luis Fortuño: Ran for and won the Governorship of Puerto Rico defeating Gov. Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
26. Virginia 11: Thomas M. Davis: "It's time for me to take a sabbatical"
27. Wyoming's at-large congressional district: Barbara Cubin

Defeated incumbents

Incumbents defeated in primary election

One Republican lost in a primary and the seat was eventually won by a Democrat. One Democrat lost the primary as did two Republicans. The three primary winners, however, managed to retain the seat for the same party.

1. Maryland 1: Wayne Gilchrest (R), whose seat was later won by a Democrat
2. Maryland 4: Albert Wynn (D), who subsequently resigned May 31, 2008
3. Utah 3: Chris Cannon (R)
4. Tennessee 1: David Davis (R)

Incumbents defeated in general election

Fourteen Republicans and five Democrats lost their general elections, thereby losing their seats to the other party.

Open seat gains

Twelve seats (and one delegate's seat) held by retiring Republicans were won by Democrats. No Democratic retirements were picked up by Republicans.

Closest races

Fifty-two races were decided by 10% or lower.

Election ratings

Special elections

The thirteen special elections to the 110th United States Congress are listed below by election date.

In 2008 there were eight special elections for vacant seats in the United States House of Representatives, for the 110th United States Congress. In the special elections, Democrats gained three seats while keeping hold of five seats. Republicans held only one of their four seats.

Alabama

Alaska

American Samoa

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Florida

Georgia

Guam

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Note: In Louisiana's 2nd and 4th districts, primary runoffs were held November 4, 2008 and the general election for both of these races were held December 6, 2008.

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Northern Mariana Islands

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

U.S. Virgin Islands

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Non-voting delegates

See also

• 2008 United States elections
  • 2008 United States gubernatorial elections
  • 2008 United States presidential election
  • 2008 United States Senate elections
• 110th United States Congress
• 111th United States Congress

Notes

References

External links

• "House Competitive Race Charts". The Cook Political Report.
• "House: Races to Watch". CQ Politics. Archived from the original on December 13, 2007.
• "2008 House Ratings". The Rothenberg Political Report.
• "House Outlook". Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball.
• United States Election 2008 Web Archive from the U.S. Library of Congress

Articles connexes

1. 2020 United States House of Representatives elections
2. 2018 United States House of Representatives elections
3. 1964 United States House of Representatives elections
4. 1972 United States House of Representatives elections
5. 1994 United States House of Representatives elections
6. 1912 United States House of Representatives elections
7. 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania
8. 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas
9. 2010 United States House of Representatives elections
10. 1880 United States House of Representatives elections
11. 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Minnesota
12. 1920 United States House of Representatives elections
13. 1952 United States House of Representatives elections
14. 1956 United States House of Representatives elections
15. 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona
16. 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio
17. 2024 United States House of Representatives elections
18. 1974 United States House of Representatives elections
19. 1922 United States House of Representatives elections
20. 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois