1854–55 United States House of Representatives elections explained

Election Name:	1854–55 United States House of Representatives elections
Country:	United States
Flag Year:	1851
Type:	parliamentary
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1852–53 United States House of Representatives elections
Next Election:	1856–57 United States House of Representatives elections
Seats For Election:	All 234 seats in the United States House of Representatives^[1]
Majority Seats:	118
Election Date:	August 4, 1854 – November 6, 1855
Party1:	Democratic Party (US)
Last Election1:	150 seats
Seats1:	83^[2]
Seat Change1:	69
Popular Vote1:	1,418,553
Percentage1:	43.95%
Swing1:	5.87%
Party2:	Whig Party (US)
Last Election2:	68 seats
Seats2:	54
Seat Change2:	14
Popular Vote2:	580,929
Percentage2:	18.00%
Swing2:	23.61%
Party3:	Know Nothing
Last Election3:	0 seats
Seats3:	51
Seat Change3:	51
Popular Vote3:	631,510
Percentage3:	19.56%
Swing3:	19.25%
Party4:	Anti-Nebraska movement
Last Election4:	Pre-creation
Seats4:	22
Seat Change4:	22
Popular Vote4:	196,461
Percentage4:	6.09%
Swing4:	New Party
Party5:	Republican Party (US)
Last Election5:	Pre-creation
Seats5:	13
Seat Change5:	13
Popular Vote5:	182,245
Percentage5:	5.65%
Swing5:	New Party
Party6:	People's Party (Indiana)
Last Election6:	Pre-creation
Seats6:	9^[3]
Seat Change6:	9
Popular Vote6:	102,423
Percentage6:	3.17%
Swing6:	New Party
Party7:	Free Soil Party
Last Election7:	4 seats
Seats7:	1
Seat Change7:	3
Popular Vote7:	22,928
Percentage7:	0.71%
Swing7:	3.28%
Party8:	Independent (US)
Last Election8:	3 seats
Seats8:	1
Seat Change8:	2
Popular Vote8:	84,196
Percentage8:	2.61%
Swing8:	0.18%
Map Size:	350px
Before Party:	Democratic Party (US)
After Party:	Know Nothing/American

The 1854–55 United States House of Representatives elections were held in 31 states for all 234 seats between August 4, 1854, and November 6, 1855, during President Franklin Pierce's term. Each state legislature separately set a date to elect representatives to the House of Representatives before the 34th Congress convened its first session on December 3, 1855.

This midterm election was among the most disruptive in American history, auguring the collapse of the Second Party System. Both major parties, the Democratic Party and the Whig Party, organized as rivals for roughly 20 years, lost critical voter support. Northern voters strongly opposed to the Kansas–Nebraska Act shifted sharply against Democrats. Whigs also lost seats as the party disintegrated over slavery.

The elected majority temporarily coalesced as the Opposition Party. This transitional party included Whigs, Free Soil members, American Party members or Know Nothings, the People's Party of Indiana, Anti-Nebraska candidates, disaffected Northern Democrats, and members of the nascent Republican Party, which soon would absorb most of these factions and replace the Whigs to rival the Democrats.

Candidates opposed to the Democratic Party won widely in the North through November 1854. The American Party, ignoring slavery and opposing immigration (particularly by Catholics from Ireland and Germany) won seats from both major parties, but to the net loss of Democrats, in New England and the South from November 1854 into 1855.

Congress had passed the Kansas–Nebraska Act in May 1854 after aggressive sponsorship by the Pierce Administration and Democrats led by Senator Stephen Douglas, including radical pro-slavery legislators. The Act repealed the 1820 Missouri Compromise and triggered the Bleeding Kansas conflict. With widely foreseen risks and immediately negative results, the act publicly discredited the Democratic Party, fueling new partisan and sectional rancor. It created violent uncertainty on the frontier by abruptly making slavery potentially legal in territories originally comprising the northern portion of the Louisiana Purchase and attractive to contemporary settlers. Settlers were expected to determine the status of slavery locally. This idea appealed to Democratic politicians and to some voters, but proved unworkable in Kansas where the status of slavery would be violently disputed between more numerous Northern settlers and geographically closer Southern settlers. Even some pro-slavery legislators and voters, particularly Southern Whigs, felt repealing the Missouri Compromise was politically reckless and attempting to push slavery by law and force into territories where most settlers predictably were unlikely to want it endangered slavery everywhere, even in the South. These fears proved prescient.

More than 21 representatives vied for the post of speaker of the House. After two months and 133 ballots, American Party representative Nathaniel Banks of Massachusetts, also a Free Soiler, defeated Democrat William Aiken of South Carolina by plurality, 103–100.^[4] To date, Banks is the only speaker to come from a third party.

Election summaries

State	Type	Date	Total seats	colspan=2	Opposition	colspan=2	Democratic	colspan=2	Know Nothing
				Seats		Change		Seats		Change		Seats		Change
Arkansas	Districts	August 4, 1854	2		0	data-sort-value=0			2	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Iowa	Districts	August 7, 1854	2		1	data-sort-value=0			1	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Missouri	Districts		7		6	data-sort-value=2	2		1	data-sort-value=-2	2		0	data-sort-value=0
Vermont	Districts	September 5, 1854	3		3	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
California	At-large	September 6, 1854	2		0	data-sort-value=0			2	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Maine	Districts	September 11, 1854	6		5	data-sort-value=2	2		1	data-sort-value=-2	2		0	data-sort-value=0
Florida	At-large	October 2, 1854	1		0	data-sort-value=0			1	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
South Carolina	Districts	data-sort-value="October 10, 1854"	October 9–10, 1854	6		0	data-sort-value=0			6	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Indiana	Districts	October 10, 1854	11		9	data-sort-value=8	8		2	data-sort-value=-8	8		0	data-sort-value=0
Ohio	Districts		21		21	data-sort-value=12	12		0	data-sort-value=-12	12		0	data-sort-value=0
Pennsylvania	Districts		25		17	data-sort-value=8	8		7	data-sort-value=-9	9		1	data-sort-value=1	1
Illinois	Districts	November 7, 1854 (Election Day)	9		4	data-sort-value=0			5	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=0
Michigan	Districts	4		3	data-sort-value=3	3		1	data-sort-value=-3	3		0	data-sort-value=0
New Jersey	Districts	5		4	data-sort-value=3	3		1	data-sort-value=-3	3		0	data-sort-value=0
New York	Districts	33		25	data-sort-value=13	13		5	data-sort-value=-16	16		3	data-sort-value=3	3
Wisconsin	Districts	3		2	data-sort-value=2	2		1	data-sort-value=-2	2		0	data-sort-value=0
Massachusetts	Districts	November 12, 1854	11		0	data-sort-value=-10	10		0	data-sort-value=-1	1		11	data-sort-value=11	11
Delaware	At-large	November 14, 1854	1		0	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=-1	1		1	data-sort-value=1	1
data-sort-value="March 5, 1855" colspan=10	Late elections (after the March 4, 1855 beginning of the term)
New Hampshire	Districts	March 13, 1855	3		0	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=-3	3		3	data-sort-value=3	3
Connecticut	Districts	April 2, 1855	4		0	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=-4	4		4	data-sort-value=4	4
Rhode Island	Districts	April 4, 1855	2		0	data-sort-value=0			0	data-sort-value=-2	2		2	data-sort-value=2	2
Virginia	Districts	May 24, 1855	13		0	data-sort-value=0			12	data-sort-value=-1	1		1	data-sort-value=1	1
North Carolina	Districts	August 2, 1855	8		0	data-sort-value=-3	3		5	data-sort-value=0			3	data-sort-value=3	3
Tennessee	Districts		10		0	data-sort-value=-5	5		5	data-sort-value=0			5	data-sort-value=5	5
Alabama	Districts	August 6, 1855	7		0	data-sort-value=-1	1		5	data-sort-value=-1	1		2	data-sort-value=2	2
Kentucky	Districts		10		0	data-sort-value=-5	5		4	data-sort-value=-1	1		6	data-sort-value=6	6
Texas	Districts		2		0	data-sort-value=0			1	data-sort-value=-1	1		1	data-sort-value=1	1
Georgia	Districts	October 1, 1855	8		0	data-sort-value=-2	2		6	data-sort-value=0			2	data-sort-value=2	2
Louisiana	Districts	November 5, 1855	4		0	data-sort-value=-1	1		3	data-sort-value=0			1	data-sort-value=1	1
Mississippi	Districts	data-sort-value="November 6, 1855"	November 5–6, 1855	5		0	data-sort-value=0			4	data-sort-value=-1	1		1	data-sort-value=1	1
Maryland	Districts	November 6, 1855	6		0	data-sort-value=-2	2		2	data-sort-value=-2	2		4	data-sort-value=4	4
Total			234		100	data-sort-value=29	29		83	data-sort-value=-75	75		51	data-sort-value=51	51

↓

83	51	100
Democratic	Know Nothing	Opposition

Special elections

See also: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives. There were four special elections to the 33rd United States Congress, listed here by date and district.

|-! | Henry A. Muhlenberg| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent died January 9, 1854.
New member elected February 4, 1854.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Zeno Scudder| | Whig| 1850| | Incumbent resigned March 4, 1854.
New member elected April 17, 1854.
Whig hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Gilbert Dean| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent resigned July 3, 1854.
New member elected November 7, 1854.
Whig gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Presley Ewing| | Whig| 1851| | Incumbent died September 27, 1854.
New member elected November 13, 1854.
Whig hold.| nowrap |

|}

Alabama

See also: List of United States representatives from Alabama.

|-! | Philip Phillips| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James Abercrombie| | Whig| 1851| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James Ferguson Dowdell| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William Russell Smith| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | George S. Houston| | Democratic| 1843| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Williamson Robert Winfield Cobb| | Democratic| 1847| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Sampson Willis Harris| | Democratic| 1847| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Arkansas

See also: List of United States representatives from Arkansas.

|-! | Alfred B. Greenwood| | Democratic| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Edward A. Warren| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|}

California

See also: List of United States representatives from California. Note: From statehood to 1864, California's representatives were elected at-large, with the top two vote-getters winning election from 1849 to 1858.

|-! rowspan=2 |
| Milton S. Latham| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent withdrew.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| rowspan=2 nowrap |

|-| James A. McDougall| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.

|}

Connecticut

See also: List of United States representatives from Connecticut.

|-! | James T. Pratt| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Colin M. Ingersoll| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Nathan Belcher| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Origen S. Seymour| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|}

Delaware

See also: List of United States representatives from Delaware.

|-! | George R. Riddle| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|}

Florida

See main article: 1854 United States House of Representatives election in Florida.

See also: List of United States representatives from Florida.

|-! | Augustus Maxwell| | Democratic| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Georgia

See also: List of United States representatives from Georgia.

|-! | James Lindsay Seward| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Alfred H. Colquitt| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | David Jackson Bailey| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William Barton Wade Dent| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Elijah Webb Chastain| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Junius Hillyer| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | David Addison Reese| | Whig| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Alexander Stephens| | Whig| 1853| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|}

Illinois

See also: List of United States representatives from Illinois.

|-! | Elihu B. Washburne| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John Wentworth| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Jesse O. Norton| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James Knox| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William A. Richardson| | Democratic| 1847 | Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Richard Yates| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James C. Allen| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected.
Election disqualified.
Democratic loss.| nowrap |

|-! | William Henry Bissell| | Independent
Democratic| 1848| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Willis Allen| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|}

Indiana

See also: List of United States representatives from Indiana.

|-! | Smith Miller| | Democratic| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William Hayden English| | Democratic| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Cyrus L. Dunham| | Democratic| 1849| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
People's gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James H. Lane| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
People's gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel W. Parker| | Whig| 1851| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
People's gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Thomas A. Hendricks| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
People's gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John G. Davis| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
People's gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Daniel Mace| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
People's gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Norman Eddy| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
People's gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Ebenezer M. Chamberlain| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
People's gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Andrew J. Harlan| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
People's gain.| nowrap |

|}

Iowa

See also: List of United States representatives from Iowa.

|-! | Bernhart Henn| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | William Vandever| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig hold.| nowrap |

|}

Kentucky

See also: List of United States representatives from Kentucky. Source: Tribune Almanac^[5]

|-! | Linn Boyd| | Democratic| 1839| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Benjamin E. Grey| | Whig| 1851| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Francis Bristow| | Whig| 1854 | | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• Warner Underwood (Know Nothing) 56.89%
• James P. Bates (Democratic) 43.12%

|-! | James Chrisman| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

• Albert G. Talbott (Democratic) 50.06%
• Fountain T. Fox (Know Nothing) 49.94%

|-! | Clement S. Hill| | Whig| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

• Joshua Jewett (Democratic) 51.64%
• C. G. Wintersmith (Whig) 48.37%

|-! | John Milton Elliott| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• John Milton Elliott (Democratic) 54.80%
• George W. Dunlap (Know Nothing) 45.20%

|-! | William Preston| | Whig| 1852 | | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• Humphrey Marshall (Know Nothing) 61.29%
• William Preston (Whig) 38.71%

|-! | John C. Breckinridge| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• Alexander Keith Marshall (Know Nothing) 55.98%
• James O. Harrison (Democratic) 44.02%

|-! rowspan=2 | | Leander Cox| | Whig| 1853| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Know Nothing gain.| rowspan=2 nowrap |

• Leander Cox (Know Nothing) 55.06%
• Richard H. Stanton (Democratic) 44.94%

|-| Richard H. Stanton
| | Democratic| 1849| | Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic loss.

|-! | colspan=3 | None | | New seat.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• Samuel F. Swope (Know Nothing) 51.72%
• Henry C. Harris (Democratic) 48.28%

|}

Louisiana

See also: List of United States representatives from Louisiana.

|-! | William Dunbar| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• George Eustis Jr. (Know Nothing) 53.40%
• Albert Fabre (Democratic) 46.60%

|-! | Theodore Gaillard Hunt| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

• Miles Taylor (Democratic) 51.54%
• Theodore Gaillard Hunt (Know Nothing) 48.46%

|-! | John Perkins Jr.| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

• Thomas G. Davidson (Democratic) 50.62%
• Preston Pond Jr. (Know Nothing) 49.38%

|-! | Roland Jones| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

• John M. Sandidge (Democratic) 58.05%
• William B. Lewis (Know Nothing) 41.95%

|}

Maine

See also: List of United States representatives from Maine.

|-! | Moses Macdonald| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel Mayall| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | E. Wilder Farley| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel P. Benson| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Israel Washburn Jr.| | Whig| 1850| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Thomas J. D. Fuller| | Democratic| 1848| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Maryland

See also: List of United States representatives from Maryland.

|-! | John Rankin Franklin| | Whig| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

• James Augustus Stewart (Democratic) 51.27%
• John Dennis (Know Nothing) 48.73%

|-! | Jacob Shower| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• James Barroll Ricaud (Know Nothing) 56.58%
• Jacob Shower (Democratic) 43.42%

|-! | Joshua Van Sant| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• James Morrison Harris (Know Nothing) 50.21%
• Joshua Van Sant (Democratic) 49.79%

|-! | William Thomas Hamilton| | Democratic| 1849| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• Henry Winter Davis (Know Nothing) 52.36%
• William Thomas Hamilton (Democratic) 47.64%

|-! | Henry May| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• Henry William Hoffman (Know Nothing) 51.60%
• Henry May (Democratic) 48.40%

|-! | Augustus Rhodes Sollers| | Whig| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

• Thomas Fielder Bowie (Democratic) 53.93%
• William Watkins (Know Nothing) 46.07%

|}

Massachusetts

See also: List of United States representatives from Massachusetts.

|-! | Thomas D. Eliot| | Whig| 1854 (special)| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel L. Crocker| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | J. Wiley Edmands| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel H. Walley| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William Appleton| | Whig| 1850| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles W. Upham| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Nathaniel P. Banks| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Tappan Wentworth| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Alexander DeWitt| | Free Soil| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Edward Dickinson| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John Z. Goodrich| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|}

Michigan

See also: List of United States representatives from Michigan.

|-! | David Stuart| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | David A. Noble| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel Clark| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Hestor L. Stevens| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|}

Mississippi

See also: List of United States representatives from Mississippi.

|-! | Daniel B. Wright| | 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Daniel B. Wright (Democratic) 55.5%
• J. H. Taylor (Know Nothing) 44.5%^[6]

|-! | William S. Barry| | 1853| | Incumbent retired to run for state representative.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

• Hendley S. Bennett (Democratic) 51.6%
• L. E. Houston (Know Nothing) 48.4%^[7]

|-! | William Barksdale
| | 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• William Barksdale (Democratic) 55.5%
• Joseph B. Cobb (Know Nothing) 44.5%^[8]

|-! | Otho R. Singleton
| | 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• William A. Lake (Know Nothing) 50.8%
• Otho R. Singleton (Democratic) 49.2%^[9]

|-! | colspan=3 | None | | New seat.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

• John A. Quitman (Democratic) 59.4%
• Giles M. Hillyer (Know Nothing) 40.6%^[10]

|}

Missouri

See also: List of United States representatives from Missouri.

|-! | Thomas Hart Benton| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Alfred W. Lamb| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James J. Lindley| | Whig| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Mordecai Oliver| | Whig| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John G. Miller| | Whig| 1850| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John S. Phelps| | Democratic| 1844| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel Caruthers| | Whig| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

New Hampshire

See also: List of United States representatives from New Hampshire.

|-! | George W. Kittredge| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | George W. Morrison| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Harry Hibbard| | Democratic| 1849| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|}

New Jersey

See also: List of United States representatives from New Jersey.

|-! | Nathan T. Stratton| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |

• Isaiah D. Clawson (Whig) 42.94%
• Thomas W. Mulford (Democratic) 30.02%
• John W. Hazelton (Temperance) 27.05%

|-! | Charles Skelton| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |

• George R. Robbins (Whig) 57.56%
• Nathaniel S. Rue (Democratic) 42.44%

|-! | Samuel Lilly| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |

• James Bishop (Whig) 54.35%
• Samuel Lilly (Democratic) 45.65%

|-! | George Vail| | Democratic| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• George Vail (Democratic) 51.65%
• Peter Osborne (Anti-Nebraska) 48.35%

|-! | Alexander C. M. Pennington| | Whig| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Alexander C. M. Pennington (Whig) 54.42%
• John Darcy (Democratic) 45.58%

|}

New York

See main article: 1854 United States House of Representatives elections in New York.

See also: List of United States representatives from New York.

|-! |James Maurice| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap | |-! |Thomas W. Cumming| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Hiram Walbridge| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Michael Walsh| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap | |-! |William M. Tweed| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap | |-! |John Wheeler| |Democratic| 1852|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! |William A. Walker| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Francis B. Cutting| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Jared V. Peck| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |William Murray| |Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Theodoric R. Westbrook| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Isaac Teller| |Whig|1854 | | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig hold.| nowrap | |-! |Russell Sage| |Whig| 1852|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | Rufus W. Peckham| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Charles Hughes| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! | George A. Simmons| |Whig| 1852|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! |Bishop Perkins| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap | |-! |Peter Rowe| |Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |George W. Chase| |Whig| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig hold.| nowrap | |-! |Orsamus B. Matteson| |Whig| nowrap | |Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! |Henry Bennett| |Whig|1848|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! |Gerrit Smith| |Free Soil|1852| | Incumbent resigned August 7, 1854.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Caleb Lyon| |Independent|1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Daniel T. Jones| |Democratic|1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Edwin D. Morgan| |Whig|1850|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! |Andrew Oliver| |Democratic|1852|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! |John J. Taylor| |Democratic|1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |George Hastings| |Democratic|1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap | |-! |Davis Carpenter| |Whig|1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap | |-! |Benjamin Pringle| |Whig|1852|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! |Thomas T. Flagler| |Whig|1852|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! |Solomon G. Haven| |Whig|1850|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! |Reuben Fenton| |Democratic|1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap | |}

North Carolina

See also: List of United States representatives from North Carolina.

|-! | Henry Marchmore Shaw| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• Robert Treat Paine (Know Nothing) 51.71%
• Henry Marchmore Shaw (Democratic) 48.29%

|-! | Thomas Hart Ruffin| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Thomas Hart Ruffin (Democratic) 66.05%
• Thomas J. Latham (Know Nothing) 33.95%

|-! | William Shepperd Ashe| | Democratic| 1849| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

• Warren Winslow (Democratic) 54.94%
• David Reid (Know Nothing) 45.06%

|-! | Sion Hart Rogers| | Whig| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

• Lawrence O'Bryan Branch (Democratic) 61.67%
• James B. Shepard (Know Nothing) 38.33%

|-! | John Kerr Jr.| | Whig| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

• Edwin Godwin Reade (Know Nothing) 65.28%
• John Kerr Jr. (Whig) 34.72%

|-! | Richard Clauselle Puryear| | Whig| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Richard Clauselle Puryear (Whig) 51.44%
• Alfred Moore Scales (Democratic) 48.56%

|-! | Francis Burton Craige| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Francis Burton Craige (Democratic) 62.17%
• Samuel N. Stowe (Know Nothing) 37.83%

|-! | Thomas Lanier Clingman| | Democratic| 1843
1845
1847| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Thomas Lanier Clingman (Democratic) 55.10%
• Leander B. Carmichael (Know Nothing) 44.90%

|}

Ohio

See also: List of United States representatives from Ohio.

|-! | David T. Disney| | Democratic| 1848| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John Scott Harrison| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Lewis D. Campbell| | Whig| 1848| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Matthias H. Nichols| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Alfred Edgerton| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Andrew Ellison| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Aaron Harlan| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Moses Bledso Corwin| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Frederick W. Green| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John L. Taylor| | Democratic| 1846| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Thomas Ritchey| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Edson B. Olds| | Democratic| 1848| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William D. Lindsley| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Harvey H. Johnson| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William R. Sapp| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Edward Ball| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Wilson Shannon| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | George Bliss| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Edward Wade| | Free Soil| 1852| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Joshua Reed Giddings| | Free Soil| 1843| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Andrew Stuart| | Democratic| 1848| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Anti-Nebraska gain.| nowrap |

|}

Pennsylvania

See also: List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania.

|-! | Thomas B. Florence| | Democratic| 1848| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph R. Chandler| | Whig| 1848| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig hold.| nowrap |

|-! | John Robbins| | Democratic| 1848| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William Henry Witte| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John McNair| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | William Everhart| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel A. Bridges| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | J. Glancy Jones| | Democratic| 1854| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Isaac E. Hiester| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Independent gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Ner Middleswarth| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Christian M. Straub| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Hendrick B. Wright| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Whig gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Asa Packer| | Democratic| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Galusha A. Grow| | Democratic| 1850| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Rhode Island

See also: List of United States representatives from Rhode Island.

|-! | Thomas Davis| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Benjamin Babock Thurston| | Democratic| 1851| | Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|}

South Carolina

See also: List of United States representatives from South Carolina.

|-! | John McQueen| | Democratic| 1849 | Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William Aiken Jr.| | Democratic| 1850| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Laurence M. Keitt| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Preston S. Brooks| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James L. Orr| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William W. Boyce| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Tennessee

See also: List of United States representatives from Tennessee.

Elections held late, on August 2, 1855.

|-! | Nathaniel G. Taylor| | Whig| 1854 (special)| |Incumbent lost re-election as a Know Nothing.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | | William M. Churchwell| | Democratic| 1851| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel A. Smith| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William Cullom| | Whig| 1851| |Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles Ready| | Whig | 1853| |Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | George W. Jones| | Democratic| 1842| Incumbent re-elected.|

|-! | Robert M. Bugg| | Whig| 1853| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Felix Zollicoffer| | Whig| 1853| |Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Emerson Etheridge| | Whig| 1853| |Incumbent re-elected to a new party.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Frederick P. Stanton| | Democratic| 1845| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|}

Texas

See also: List of United States representatives from Texas.

|-! | George W. Smyth| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Peter Hansborough Bell| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Vermont

See also: List of United States representatives from Vermont.

|-! | James Meacham| | Whig| 1849 | Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Andrew Tracy| | Whig| 1852| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Alvah Sabin| | Whig| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Virginia

See also: List of United States representatives from Virginia.

|-! | Thomas H. Bayly| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | John Millson| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | John S. Caskie| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | William Goode| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | Thomas S. Bocock| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | Paulus Powell| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | William Smith| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | Charles J. Faulkner| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | John Letcher| | Democratic| 1851| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | Zedekiah Kidwell| | Democratic| 1853| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | Charles S. Lewis| | Democratic| 1853| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Know Nothing gain.| nowrap | |-! | Henry A. Edmundson| | Democratic| 1849| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | Fayette McMullen| | Democratic| 1849| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |}

Wisconsin

See also: List of United States representatives from Wisconsin. Election results in Wisconsin for 1854:^[11]

|-! | Daniel Wells Jr.| | Democratic| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Ben C. Eastman| | Democratic| 1850| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John B. Macy| | Democratic| 1852| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|}

Non-voting delegates

See also: Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives.

|-! | colspan=3 | New seat| | New territory.
New delegate elected December 20, 1854.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Henry Mower Rice| | Democratic| 1852| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-!
(33rd Congress)| colspan=3 | New seat| | New territory.
New delegate elected December 12, 1854.^{[12] [13]}
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-!
(34th Congress)| Napoleon Bonaparte Giddings| | Democratic| 1854| | Incumbent retired.
New delegate elected November 5, 1855.^[12]
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph Lane| | Democratic| 1851| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

See also

• 1854 United States elections
• List of United States House of Representatives elections (1824–1854)
• 1854–55 United States Senate elections
• 33rd United States Congress
• 34th United States Congress

Bibliography

• Book: Dubin, Michael J. . United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997: The Official Results of the Elections of the 1st Through 105th Congresses . March 1, 1998 . McFarland and Company . 978-0786402830.
• Book: Martis, Kenneth C. . The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989 . January 1, 1989 . Macmillan Publishing Company . 978-0029201701. .
• Book: Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections . 1994 . Congressional Quarterly Inc. . 978-0871879967 . Moore . John L. . Third.
• Web site: Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789–Present . Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives . January 21, 2015.

External links

• Office of the Historian (Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)

Notes and References

1. http://mcimaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/34th-Congress.png Party Breakdown of the 34th House
2. Web site: Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789–Present . Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives . January 21, 2015.
3. Dubin, p. 174.
4. Book: Nevins, Allan . Ordeal of the Union, Volume II: A House Dividing 1852-1857 . 1947 . New York . 413–415.
5. Book: The Tribune Almanac and Political Register For 1856 . 1856 . Greeley & McElrath . New York .
6. Web site: MS - District 01 Race - Nov 05, 1855 . Our Campaigns . October 27, 2008 . February 27, 2022 .
7. Web site: MS - District 02 Race - Nov 05, 1855 . Our Campaigns . October 28, 2008 . February 27, 2022 .
8. Web site: MS - District 03 Race - Nov 05, 1855 . Our Campaigns . October 29, 2008 . February 27, 2022 .
9. Web site: MS - District 04 Race - Nov 05, 1855 . Our Campaigns . October 29, 2008 . February 27, 2022 .
10. Web site: MS - District 05 Race - Nov 05, 1855 . Our Campaigns . October 29, 2008 . February 27, 2022 .
11. Web site: Wisconsin U.S. House Election Results . Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120405132933/http://www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/cspg/research/election_data_archive/pdf/WI_US_House_Election_Results.pdf . April 5, 2012 . August 27, 2014 .
12. Web site: Collections of the NSHS - Volume 18 . www.usgennet.org.
13. Web site: Our Campaigns - NE Territorial Delegate - Initial Election Race - Nov 07, 1854 . 2020-09-16 . www.ourcampaigns.com.