1896 United States House of Representatives elections

Elections to the United States House of Representatives were held in 1896 for members of the 55th Congress, coinciding with the election of President William McKinley.

1896 United States House of Representatives elections

November 3, 1896[lower-alpha 1]

All 357 seats in the United States House of Representatives
179 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Thomas Brackett Reed Joseph Weldon Bailey
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat Maine 1st Texas 4th
Last election 254 seats 93 seats
Seats won 206[1] 124[1]
Seat change 48 31
Popular vote 6,655,919 5,594,384
Percentage 48.77% 40.99%
Swing 0.50% 3.27%

  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Populist Silver Republican
Last election 9 seats New Party
Seats won 22[1] 3[1]
Seat change 13 3
Popular vote 935,636 139,132
Percentage 6.86% 1.02%
Swing 4.16% Pre-creation

  Fifth party Sixth party
 
Party Silver Independent Republican
Last election 1 0
Seats won 1[1] 1
Seat change 1
Popular vote 6,429 72,945
Percentage 0.05% 0.53%
Swing 0.01% 0.20%

Speaker before election

Thomas Reed
Republican

Elected Speaker

Thomas Reed
Republican

In spite of McKinley's victory over William Jennings Bryan, both the Democratic and Populist parties gained seats from McKinley's Republican Party. This is most likely a reaction to the extraordinary Republican gains in 1894, in which many normally Democratic districts switched parties due to the severity of and fallout from the Panic of 1893. Many Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern regions that were dominated by Catholic and working-class voters, switched to Republican in 1894, but returned to the Democratic Party during this election cycle. The Populist Party also made huge gains as Republicans were ousted in Western states. Despite this, the Republicans did maintain a strong majority in the House. Also, several Western Republicans split with the party in 1896, forming the tiny Silver Republican Party faction, which advocated a silver standard.

This election marked the zenith of the Populist Party, which would go on to lose most of its seats in the 1898 elections and thereafter slowly fade from prominence.

Election summaries

124 22 5 206
Democratic Pop [lower-alpha 2] Republican
State Type Total
seats
Democratic Populist Silver Silver Republican Independent Republican Republican
Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change
Alabama District 9 7 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
Arkansas District 6 6 0 0 0 0 0
California District 7 2 1 2 2 0 0 0 3 3
Colorado District 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1
Connecticut District 4 0 0 0 0 0 4
Delaware At-large 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Florida District 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
Georgia District 11 11 0 0 0 0 0
Idaho At-large 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1
Illinois District 22 5 3 0 0 0 0 17 3
Indiana District 13 4 4 0 0 0 0 9 4
Iowa District 11 0 0 0 0 0 11
Kansas District
+at-large
8 0 6 5 0 0 0 2 5
Kentucky District 11 7 1 0 0 0 0 4 1
Louisiana District 6 6 0 0 0 0 0
Maine[lower-alpha 3] District 4 0 0 0 0 0 4
Maryland District 6 0 3 0 0 0 0 6 3
Massachusetts District 13 1 0 0 0 0 12
Michigan District 12 2 2 0 0 0 0 10 2
Minnesota District 7 0 0 0 0 0 7
Mississippi District 7 7 0 0 0 0 0
Missouri District 15 12 7 0 0 0 0 3 7
Montana At-large 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
Nebraska District 6 0 4 3 0 0 0 2 3
Nevada At-large 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
New Hampshire District 2 0 0 0 0 0 2
New Jersey District 8 0 0 0 0 0 8
New York District 34 5 1 0 0 0 0 29 1
North Carolina District 9 1 1 5 1 0 0 0 3
North Dakota At-large 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Ohio District 21 6 4 0 0 0 0 15 4
Oregon[lower-alpha 3] District 2 0 0 0 0 0 2
Pennsylvania District
+2 at-large
30 3 1 0 0 0 1 1 26 2
Rhode Island District 2 0 0 0 0 0 2
South Carolina District 7 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
South Dakota At-large 2 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 2
Tennessee District 10 8 2 0 0 0 0 2 2
Texas District 13 12 0 0 0 0 1
Utah At-large 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Vermont[lower-alpha 3] District 2 0 0 0 0 0 2
Virginia District 10 6 2 0 0 0 0 4 2
Washington[lower-alpha 4] At-large 2 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2
West Virginia District 4 0 0 1 3 3 0 0
Wisconsin District 10 0 0 0 0 0 10
Wyoming At-large 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Total 357 124
34.7%
31 22
6.2%
13 1
0.3%
0 3
0.8%
1
0.3%
1 206
57.7%
48
Popular vote
Democratic
40.99%
Independent
0.53%
Populist
6.86%
Republican
48.77%
Silver
0.05%
Silver Republican
1.02%
Others
1.78%
House seats
Democratic
34.73%
Independent
0.28%
Populist
6.16%
Republican
57.70%
Silver
0.28%
Silver Republican
0.84%
[[File:55 us house membership.png|thumb|500px|
House seats by party holding plurality in state
("Republican" includes Silver, Silver Republican, and Independent Republican)
  80+ to 100% Democratic
  80+ to 100% Populist
  80+ to 100% Republican
  60+ to 80% Democratic
  60+ to 80% Populist
  60+ to 80% Republican
  Up to 60% Democratic
  Up to 60% Populist
  Up to 60% Republican
]]
[[File:55 us house changes.png|thumb|500px|
Net gain in party representation
("Republican" includes Silver, Silver Republican, and Independent Republican)
  6+ Democratic gain
 
  6+ Republican gain
  3-5 Democratic gain
  3-5 Populist gain
  3-5 Republican gain
  1-2 Democratic gain
  1-2 Populist gain
  1-2 Republican gain
  no net change
]]

Special elections

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Virginia 5
South Carolina 7 J. William Stokes Democratic 1894 Incumbent's previous election declared void June 1, 1896 due to electoral fraud.
Incumbent re-elected November 3, 1896.
Incumbent also elected to the next term, see below.

Early election dates

Three states, with 8 seats between them, held elections early in 1896:

Alabama

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Alabama 1 Richard Henry Clarke Democratic 1888 Incumbent retired to un for Governor of Alabama.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Alabama 2 Jesse F. Stallings Democratic 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
Alabama 3 George Paul Harrison Jr. Democratic 1894 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Alabama 4 William F. Aldrich Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected after initial results indicated loss to Plowman.
Alabama 5 Albert Taylor Goodwyn Populist 1894 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Alabama 6 John H. Bankhead Democratic 1886 Incumbent re-elected.
Alabama 7 Milford W. Howard Populist 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Milford W. Howard (Populist) 35.79%
  • William I. Bullock (Democratic) 32.66%
  • James J. Curtis (Republican) 28.91%
  • George H. Parker (National Democratic[lower-alpha 5]) 2.64%
Alabama 8 Joseph Wheeler Democratic 1884 Incumbent re-elected.
Alabama 9 Truman H. Aldrich Republican 1894 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.

California

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
California 1 John All Barham Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y John All Barham (Republican) 49.66%
  • Fletcher A. Cutler (Democratic) 45.48%
  • George W. Montieth (Populist) 4.17%
  • B. F. Taylor (Prohibition) 0.69%
California 2 Grove L. Johnson Republican 1894 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
California 3 Samuel G. Hilborn Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
California 4 James G. Maguire Democratic 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
California 5 Eugene F. Loud Republican 1890 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Eugene F. Loud (Republican) 48.58%
  • Joseph P. Kelly (Democratic) 26.35%
  • A. B. Kinne (Populist) 22.16%
  • Henry Daniels (Socialist Labor) 1.90%
  • T. H. Lawson (Prohibition) 1.01%
California 6 James McLachlan Republican 1892 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Populist gain.
  • Y Charles A. Barlow (Populist) 48.91%
  • James McLachlan (Republican) 47.57%
  • Henry Clay Needham (Prohibition) 2.42%
  • Job Harriman (Socialist Labor) 1.10%
California 7 William W. Bowers Republican 1890 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Populist gain.

Florida

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Florida 1 Stephen M. Sparkman Democratic 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Stephen M. Sparkman (Democratic) 77.5%
  • E. K. Nichols (Republican) 14.6%
  • J. Asakiah Williams (Populist) 6.8%
  • J. C. Green (Pr.) 1.1%
Florida 2 Charles Merian Cooper Democratic 1892 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
  • Y Robert Wyche Davis (Democratic) 61.9%
  • Joseph N. Stripling (Republican) 28.6%
  • Daniel G. Ambler (National Democratic[lower-alpha 5]) 5.0%
  • William R. Peterson (Populist) 3.7%
  • M. E. Spencer (Prohibition) 0.8%

Maine

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Maine 1 Thomas Brackett Reed Republican 1876 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Thomas Brackett Reed (Republican) 66.90%
  • Edward W. Staples (Democratic) 30.42%
  • Aaron Clark (Prohibition) 2.09%
  • James E. Campion (Populist) 0.59%
Maine 2 Nelson Dingley Jr. Republican 1880 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Nelson Dingley Jr. (Republican) 69.21%
  • Arwood Levensaler (Democratic) 26.01%
  • Charles E. Allen (Populist) 3.38%
  • Edward W. Ogier (Prohibition) 1.41%
Maine 3 Seth L. Milliken Republican 1882 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Seth L. Milliken (Republican) 68.20%
  • Melvin S. Holway (Democratic) 26.18%
  • Bradford F. Lancaster (Populist) 3.82%
  • William S. Thompson (Prohibition) 1.80%
Maine 4 Charles A. Boutelle Republican 1882 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Charles A. Boutelle (Republican) 65.96%
  • Andrew J. Chase (Democratic) 28.39%
  • George M. Park (Prohibition) 2.89%
  • Oliver D. Chapman (Populist) 2.76%

Ohio

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[2] [3]
Ohio 1 Charles Phelps Taft Republican 1894 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.
Ohio 2 Jacob H. Bromwell Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 3 Paul J. Sorg Democratic 1894 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
Ohio 4 Fernando C. Layton Democratic 1890 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.
  • Y George A. Marshall (Democratic) 59.5%
  • John P. Maclean (Republican) 38.6%
  • L.M. Kramer (Populist) 1.1%
  • George W. Mace (Nat. P.) 0.7%
Ohio 5 Francis B. De Witt Republican 1894 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Ohio 6 George W. Hulick Republican 1892 Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.
  • Y Seth W. Brown (Republican) 53.8%
  • Harry W. Paxton (Democratic) 45.4%
  • Frank S. Delo (Populist) 0.7%
Ohio 7 George W. Wilson Republican 1892 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.
  • Y Walter L. Weaver (Republican) 52.5%
  • Francis M. Hunt (Democratic) 46.8%
  • R.S. Thomson (Nat. P.) 0.8%
Ohio 8 Luther M. Strong Republican 1892 Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.
Ohio 9 James H. Southard Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 10 Lucien J. Fenton Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 11 Charles H. Grosvenor Republican 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Charles H. Grosvenor (Republican) 54.8%
  • William E. Finck Jr. (Democratic) 44.7%
  • Lawrence C. Crippen (Populist) 0.4%
Ohio 12 David K. Watson Republican 1894 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Ohio 13 Stephen Ross Harris Republican 1894 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Ohio 14 Winfield S. Kerr Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Winfield S. Kerr (Republican) 52.0%
  • John B. Coffinberry (Democratic) 47.6%
  • Robert F. Mosher (Nat'l Party) 0.4%
Ohio 15 H. Clay Van Voorhis Republican 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y H. Clay Van Voorhis (Republican) 52.5%
  • James B. Tannehill (Democratic) 46.2%
  • T.H. Padan (Populist) 0.8%
  • Illion E. Moore (Populist) 0.5%
Ohio 16 Lorenzo Danford Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 17 Addison S. McClure Republican 1894 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
Ohio 18 Robert W. Tayler Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 19 Stephen A. Northway Republican 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Stephen A. Northway (Republican) 60.3%
  • William T. Sawyer (Democratic) 39.1%
  • Solon C. Thayer (Populist) 0.6%
  • Scattering <0.1%
Ohio 20 Clifton B. Beach Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Clifton B. Beach (Republican) 52.78%
  • A. T. Van Tassel (Democratic) 46.01%
  • J.J. Harrison (Populist) 0.54%
  • Paul Dinger (Socialist Labor) 0.51%
  • William H. Watkins (Nat. Party) 0.16%
Ohio 21 Theodore E. Burton Republican 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Theodore E. Burton (Republican) 55.24%
  • L. A. Russell (Democratic) 43.34%
  • Louis B. Tuckerman (Populist) 0.49%
  • Walter Gillet (Socialist Labor) 0.44%
  • E. Jay Pinney (Populist) 0.38%
  • Thomas P. McDonough (Nat. Party) 0.11%

Oregon

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Oregon 1 Binger Hermann Republican 1892 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.
  • Y Thomas H. Tongue (Republican) 40.39%
  • W. S. Vandenberg (Populist) 40.26%
  • Jefferson Myers (Democratic) 16.52%
  • N. C. Christensen (Prohibition) 2.83%
Oregon 2 William R. Ellis Republican 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y William R. Ellis (Republican) 30.38%
  • Martin Quinn (Populist) 29.47%
  • H. H. Northrup (Independent) 21.20%
  • A. S. Bennett (Democratic) 17.09%
  • F. McKercher (Prohibition) 1.87%

South Carolina

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
South Carolina 1 George W. Murray Republican 1892 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.
South Carolina 2 W. Jasper Talbert Democratic 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
South Carolina 3 Asbury Latimer Democratic 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Asbury Latimer (Democratic) 92.0%
  • A. C. Merreck (Republican) 6.2%
  • Clarence Gray (Reorganized Republican) 1.8%
South Carolina 4 Stanyarne Wilson Democratic 1894 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y Stanyarne Wilson (Democratic) 92.2%
  • P. S. Suber (Republican) 4.2%
  • D. T. Bounds (Reorganized Republican) 3.6%
South Carolina 5 Thomas J. Strait Democratic 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
South Carolina 6 John L. McLaurin Democratic 1892 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y John L. McLaurin (Democratic) 87.7%
  • J. E. Wilson (Republican) 7.9%
  • George Henry McKie 4.3%
  • Others 0.1%
South Carolina 7 J. William Stokes Democratic 1894 Incumbent's previous election declared void June 1, 1896 due to electoral fraud.
Incumbent re-elected.
Incumbent also elected to finish the term.
  • Y J. William Stokes (Democratic) 85.6%
  • T. B. Johnson (Republican) 14.2%
  • D. A. Perrin (Independent Republican) 0.2%

South Dakota

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
South Dakota at-large
2 seats on a general ticket
John Pickler Republican 1889 (New state) Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Populist gain.
Robert J. Gamble Republican 1894 Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Populist gain.

Vermont

District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Vermont 1 H. Henry Powers Republican 1890 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y H. Henry Powers (Republican) 76.45%
  • Peter F. McManus (Democratic) 22.49%
  • Andrew S. Bowen (Populist) 1.06%
Vermont 2 William W. Grout Republican 1884 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Y William W. Grout (Republican) 80.41%
  • Henry E. Fitzgerald (Democratic) 18.95%
  • Thomas J. Aldrich (Populist) 0.64%

Non-voting delegates

Oklahoma Territory

District Incumbent This race
Delegate Party First elected Results Candidates
Oklahoma Territory at-large Dennis T. Flynn Republican 1892 Incumbent lost re-election.
New delegate elected.
Silver gain.

See also

Notes

    1. Three states held early elections between June 1 and September 14.
    2. 1 Silver, 3 Silver Republican, and 1 Independent Republican
    3. Elections held early.
    4. While Dubin (p. 320) indicates the two representatives elected to serve Washington state, J. Hamilton Lewis and William C. Jones, were Populists, most other sources (e.g. Martis, pp. 150–151, etc.) indicate that they were elected as a Democrat and a Silver Republican, respectively.
    5. "National Democratic" indicated "Gold Democratic"

    References

    1. Martis, pp. 150–151.
    2. Smith, Joseph P, ed. (1898). History of the Republican Party in Ohio. I. Chicago: the Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 694, 695.
    3. Ohio Election Results 1896. Norwalk, Ohio: The Laning Printing Company. 1897. pp. 33–39.
    4. "Our Campaigns - OK Territorial Delegate Race - Nov 03, 1896". www.ourcampaigns.com.

    Bibliography

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