1978 United States House of Representatives elections
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox election The 1978 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for the United States House of Representatives on November 7, 1978, to elect members to serve in the 96th United States Congress. They occurred in the middle of Democratic President Jimmy Carter's term, amidst an energy crisis and rapid inflation. The Democratic Party lost a net of 15 seats to the Republican Party, and thus lost their two-thirds supermajority, but still maintained a large 277-seat majority.
Template:As of, this was the last midterm election where the Democrats managed to win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives under a Democratic president, the last midterm election in which a registered third party memberTemplate:Efn was elected, and the last time overall in which any party won at least 270 House seats.
Overall results
382 incumbent members sought reelection, but 5 were defeated in primaries and 19 defeated in the general election for a total of 358 incumbents winning.Template:Sfn
| 277 | 1 | 157 |
| Democratic | C | Republican |
Source: Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk
Template:Bar box Template:Bar box
File:96 us house membership.png
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Special elections
Template:See also Template:Expand section
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Ed Koch | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1968 | Template:Party shading/Republican | Incumbent resigned December 31, 1977 to become Mayor of New York City. New member elected February 14, 1978. Winner was subsequently re-elected in November. Republican gain. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Herman Badillo | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1970 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent resigned December 31, 1977 to become deputy mayor of New York City. New member elected February 14, 1978. Democratic hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
Alabama
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Jack Edwards | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1964 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | William L. Dickinson | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1964 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Bill Nichols | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Tom Bevill | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Ronnie Flippo | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | John H. Buchanan Jr. | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1964 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Walter Flowers | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1968 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator. Democratic hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
Alaska
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Don Young | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1973 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Arizona
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | John Jacob Rhodes | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1952 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Mo Udall | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | [[1961 Arizona's 2nd congressional district special election|1961 Template:Small]] | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Bob Stump | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Eldon Rudd | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Arkansas
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Bill Alexander | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Jim Guy Tucker | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1976 | Template:Party shading/Republican | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator. Republican gain. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | John Paul Hammerschmidt | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Ray Thornton | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1972 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator. Democratic hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
California
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also
Colorado
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Pat Schroeder | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1972 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Tim Wirth | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Frank Evans | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1964 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | James Paul Johnson | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1972 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | William L. Armstrong | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1972 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator. Republican hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
Connecticut
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | William R. Cotter | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Chris Dodd | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Robert Giaimo | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1958 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Stewart McKinney | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1970 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Ronald A. Sarasin | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1972 | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Incumbent retired to run for Governor of Connecticut. Democratic gain. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Toby Moffett | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Delaware
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Thomas B. Evans Jr. | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Cecil Heftel | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Daniel Akaka | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Idaho
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Steve Symms | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1972 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | George V. Hansen | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1964 1968 Template:Small 1974 |
Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Jim Leach | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Mike Blouin | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Template:Party shading/Republican | Incumbent lost re-election. Republican gain. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Chuck Grassley | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Neal Smith | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1958 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Tom Harkin | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Berkley Bedell | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Kansas
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Keith Sebelius | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Martha Keys | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Template:Party shading/Republican | Incumbent lost re-election. Republican gain. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Larry Winn | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Dan Glickman | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Joe Skubitz | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1962 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
Kentucky
Louisiana
Template:See alsoThe seven incumbents were all automatically re-elected when no opponents filed to run against them in the Sept. 16 jungle primary. They did not appear on the ballot.
Leach and Wilson were the top two finishers in the 4th District's jungle primary and advanced to the Nov. 7 general election.
Maine
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | David F. Emery | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | William Cohen | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1972 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator. Republican hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
Maryland
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Jamie Whitten | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1941 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | David R. Bowen | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1972 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Sonny Montgomery | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Thad Cochran | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1972 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator. Republican hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Trent Lott | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1972 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Missouri
Montana
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Max Baucus | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator. Democratic hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Ron Marlenee | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Nebraska
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Charles Thone | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1970 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired to run for Governor of Nebraska. Republican hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | John Joseph Cavanaugh III | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Virginia D. Smith | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Nevada
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | James David Santini | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
New Hampshire
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Norman D'Amours | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | James Colgate Cleveland | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1962 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
New Jersey
New Mexico
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Manuel Lujan Jr. | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Harold L. Runnels | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Mark Andrews | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1963 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Ohio
Oklahoma
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | James R. Jones | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1972 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Ted Risenhoover | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent lost renomination. Democratic hold. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Wes Watkins | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Tom Steed | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1948 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Mickey Edwards | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Glenn English | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Oregon
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Les AuCoin | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Al Ullman | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1956 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Robert B. Duncan | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1962 1966 Template:Small 1974 |
Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Jim Weaver | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Fernand St. Germain | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1960 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Edward Beard | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
South Carolina
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Mendel Jackson Davis | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1971 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Floyd Spence | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1970 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Butler Derrick | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | James Mann | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1968 | Template:Party shading/Republican | Incumbent retired. Republican gain. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Kenneth Lamar Holland | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | John Jenrette | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
South Dakota
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Larry Pressler | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1974 | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator. Democratic gain. |
Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | James Abdnor | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1972 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Tennessee
Texas
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also
Utah
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | K. Gunn McKay | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | David Daniel Marriott | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Vermont
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Jim Jeffords | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Virginia
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also
Washington
West Virginia
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Bob Mollohan | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1952 1956 Template:Small 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Harley Orrin Staggers | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1948 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | John M. Slack Jr. | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1958 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
| Template:Ushr | Nick Rahall | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1976 | Incumbent re-elected. | Template:Plainlist |
Wisconsin
Template:USCongressElectionTableHead
|- | Template:Ushr | Les Aspin | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1970 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | Template:Plainlist
|- | Template:Ushr | Robert Kastenmeier | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1958 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | Template:Plainlist
|- | Template:Ushr | Alvin Baldus | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1974 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | Template:Plainlist
|- | Template:Ushr | Clement J. Zablocki | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1948 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | Template:Plainlist
|- | Template:Ushr | Henry S. Reuss | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1954 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | Template:Plainlist
|- | Template:Ushr | William A. Steiger | Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican | 1966 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | Template:Plainlist
|- | Template:Ushr | Dave Obey | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | [[1969 Wisconsin's 7th congressional district special election|1969 Template:Small]] | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | Template:Plainlist
|-
| Template:Ushr
| Robert John Cornell
| Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic
| 1974
| Template:Party shading/Republican | Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
| nowrap | Template:Plainlist
|-
| Template:Ushr
| Bob Kasten
| Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican
| 1974
| Template:Party shading/Hold | Incumbent retired to run for Governor of Wisconsin.
Republican hold.
| nowrap | Template:Plainlist
|}
Wyoming
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected |
Result | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Ushr | Teno Roncalio | Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic | 1964 1966 Template:Small 1970 |
Template:Party shading/Republican | Incumbent retired. Republican gain. |
Template:Plainlist |
See also
Notes
References
Works cited
Template:1978 United States elections Template:Elections to the United States House of Representatives Template:Dan Quayle