1896 United States House of Representatives elections explained

Election Name:1896 United States House of Representatives elections
Country:United States
Flag Year:1896
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1894 United States House of Representatives elections
Previous Year:1894
Next Election:1898 United States House of Representatives elections
Next Year:1898
Majority Seats:179
Election Date:November 3, 1896
Image1:TBReed.jpg
Party1:Republican Party (US)
Last Election1:254 seats
Seats1:206[1]
Seat Change1: 48
Popular Vote1:6,655,919
Percentage1:48.77%
Swing1: 0.50%
Party2:Democratic Party (US)
Last Election2:93 seats
Seats2:124
Seat Change2: 31
Popular Vote2:5,594,384
Percentage2:40.99%
Swing2: 3.27%
Party4:Populist Party (US)
Last Election4:9 seats
Seats4:22
Seat Change4: 13
Popular Vote4:935,636
Percentage4:6.86%
Swing4: 4.16%
Party5:Silver Republican Party
Last Election5:New Party
Seats5:3
Seat Change5: 3
Popular Vote5:139,132
Percentage5:1.02%
Swing5:Pre-creation
Party7:Silver Party
Last Election7:1
Seats7:1
Popular Vote7:6,429
Percentage7:0.05%
Swing7: 0.01%
Party8:Independent Republican (United States)
Last Election8:0
Seats8:1
Seat Change8: 1
Popular Vote8:72,945
Percentage8:0.53%
Swing8: 0.20%
Map Size:350px
Before Party:Republican Party (US)
After Party:Republican Party (US)

The 1896 United States House of Representatives elections were held for the most part on November 3, 1896, with Oregon, Maine, and Vermont holding theirs early in either June or September. They coincided with the election of President William McKinley. Elections were held for 357 seats of the United States House of Representatives, representing 45 states, to serve in the 55th United States Congress. The size of the House increased by one seat after Utah gained statehood on January 4, 1896. Special elections were also held throughout the year.

The Republican Party maintained its large majority in the House but lost 48 seats, mostly to the Democratic and Populist parties. The Republican losses were most likely due to the extraordinary gains that party made in the prior elections, when many normally Democratic districts voted Republican due to the severity of and fallout from the Panic of 1893. The Democratic Party recovered in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern districts dominated by Catholic and working-class voters. In the Western United States, the Populist Party made large gains and several Republicans broke away over the national party platform's endorsement of a gold standard.

This election marked the zenith of the Populist Party. The Populists would lose most of their seats in the 1898 elections and thereafter slowly fade from prominence.

Election summaries

124225206
DemocraticRepublican
StateTypeTotal
seats
DemocraticPopulistSilverSilver RepublicanInd. RepublicanRepublican
SeatsChangeSeatsChangeSeatsChangeSeatsChangeSeatsChangeSeatsChange
AlabamaDistrict97 21 10001 1
ArkansasDistrict6600000
CaliforniaDistrict72 12 20003 3
ColoradoDistrict20101 100 1
ConnecticutDistrict4000004
DelawareAt-large11 100000 1
FloridaDistrict2200000
GeorgiaDistrict111100000
IdahoAt-large101 10000 1
IllinoisDistrict225 3000017 3
IndianaDistrict134 400009 4
IowaDistrict110000011
KansasDistrict
+at-large
806 50002 5
KentuckyDistrict117 100004 1
LouisianaDistrict6600000
MaineDistrict4000004
MarylandDistrict60 300006 3
MassachusettsDistrict131000012
MichiganDistrict122 2000010 2
MinnesotaDistrict7000007
MississippiDistrict7700000
MissouriDistrict1512 700003 7
MontanaAt-large10001 100 1
NebraskaDistrict604 30002 3
NevadaAt-large1001000
New HampshireDistrict2000002
New JerseyDistrict8000008
New YorkDistrict345 1000029 1
North CarolinaDistrict91 15 10003
North DakotaAt-large1000001
OhioDistrict216 4000015 4
OregonDistrict2000002
PennsylvaniaDistrict
+2 at-large
303 10001 126 2
Rhode IslandDistrict2000002
South CarolinaDistrict77 100000 1
South DakotaAt-large202 20000 2
TennesseeDistrict108 200002 2
TexasDistrict131200001
UtahAt-large11 100000 1
VermontDistrict2000002
VirginiaDistrict106 200004 2
WashingtonAt-large21 1001 100 2
West VirginiaDistrict40013 300
WisconsinDistrict100000010
WyomingAt-large11 100000 1
align=center colspan=2 Total357124
3122
131
03
1
1206
48

Special elections

|-!

|-! | 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.| nowrap |

|}

Early election dates

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

Alabama

See also: List of United States representatives from Alabama.

|-! | Richard Henry Clarke| | Democratic| 1888| | Incumbent retired to un for Governor of Alabama.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Jesse F. Stallings| | Democratic| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George Paul Harrison Jr.| | Democratic| 1894| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | William F. Aldrich| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected after initial results indicated loss to Plowman.| nowrap |

|-! | Albert Taylor Goodwyn| | Populist| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John H. Bankhead| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Milford W. Howard| | Populist| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph Wheeler| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Truman H. Aldrich| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|}

Arkansas

See also: List of United States representatives from Arkansas.

California

See main article: 1896 United States House of Representatives elections in California.

See also: List of United States representatives from California.

|-! | John All Barham| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Grove L. Johnson| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel G. Hilborn| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James G. Maguire| | Democratic| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Eugene F. Loud| | Republican| 1890| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James McLachlan| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Populist gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William W. Bowers| | Republican| 1890| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Populist gain.| nowrap |

|}

Colorado

See also: List of United States representatives from Colorado.

Connecticut

See also: List of United States representatives from Connecticut.

Delaware

See also: List of United States representatives from Delaware.

Florida

See main article: 1896 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida.

|-! | Stephen M. Sparkman| | Democratic| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles Merian Cooper| | Democratic| 1892| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|}

Georgia

See also: List of United States representatives from Georgia.

Idaho

See also: List of United States representatives from Idaho.

|-! | Edgar Wilson| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent retired to run for Idaho Supreme Court.
New member elected.
Populist gain.| nowrap |

|}

Illinois

See also: List of United States representatives from Illinois.

Indiana

See also: List of United States representatives from Indiana.

Iowa

See also: List of United States representatives from Iowa.

Kansas

See also: List of United States representatives from Kansas.

Kentucky

See also: List of United States representatives from Kentucky.

Louisiana

See also: List of United States representatives from Louisiana.

Maine

See also: List of United States representatives from Maine.

|-! | Thomas Brackett Reed| | Republican| 1876| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Nelson Dingley Jr.| | Republican| 1880| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Seth L. Milliken| | Republican| 1882| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles A. Boutelle| | Republican| 1882| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Maryland

See also: List of United States representatives from Maryland.

Massachusetts

See also: List of United States representatives from Massachusetts.

|-! | Ashley B. Wright| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Frederick H. Gillett| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph H. Walker| | Republican| 1888| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Lewis D. Apsley| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | William S. Knox| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William H. Moody| | Republican| 1895 (special)| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William Emerson Barrett| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel W. McCall| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John F. Fitzgerald| | Democratic| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Harrison Henry Atwood| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-nomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | William F. Draper| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Elijah A. Morse| | Republican| 1888| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John Simpkins| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Michigan

See also: List of United States representatives from Michigan.

Minnesota

See also: List of United States representatives from Minnesota.

Mississippi

See also: List of United States representatives from Mississippi.

|-! | John M. Allen| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John C. Kyle| | Democratic| 1890| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Thomas C. Catchings| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Hernando Money| | Democratic| 1892| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | John S. Williams| | Democratic| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Walter M. Denny| | Democratic| 1894| | Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | James G. Spencer| | Democratic| 1894| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|}

Missouri

See also: List of United States representatives from Missouri.

Montana

See also: List of United States representatives from Montana.

|-! | Charles S. Hartman| | Republican| 1892| |Incumbent re-elected.
Silver Republican gain.| nowrap |

|}

Nebraska

See also: List of United States representatives from Nebraska.

|-! | Jesse B. Strode| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | David H. Mercer| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George de Rue Meiklejohn| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Populist gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Eugene Jerome Hainer| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Populist gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William E. Andrews| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Populist gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Omer Madison Kem| | Populist| 1890| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Populist hold.| nowrap |

|}

Nevada

See also: List of United States representatives from Nevada.

New Hampshire

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

New Jersey

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

New York

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

North Carolina

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

North Dakota

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

|-! | Martin N. Johnson| | Republican| 1890| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Ohio

|-! | Charles Phelps Taft| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Jacob H. Bromwell| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Paul J. Sorg| | Democratic| 1894| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Fernando C. Layton| | Democratic| 1890| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Francis B. De Witt| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | George W. Hulick| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | George W. Wilson| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Luther M. Strong| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | James H. Southard| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Lucien J. Fenton| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles H. Grosvenor| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | David K. Watson| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Stephen Ross Harris| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Winfield S. Kerr| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | H. Clay Van Voorhis| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Lorenzo Danford| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Addison S. McClure| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Robert W. Tayler| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Stephen A. Northway| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Clifton B. Beach| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Theodore E. Burton| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Oregon

See also: List of United States representatives from Oregon.

|-! | Binger Hermann| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | William R. Ellis| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Pennsylvania

See also: List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania.

Rhode Island

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

South Carolina

See main article: 1896 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina.

|-! | George W. Murray| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | W. Jasper Talbert| | Democratic| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Asbury Latimer| | Democratic| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Stanyarne Wilson| | Democratic| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Thomas J. Strait| | Democratic| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John L. McLaurin| | Democratic| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | 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.| nowrap |

|}

South Dakota

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

|-! rowspan=2 |
| John Pickler| | Republican| 1889 | | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Populist gain.| rowspan=2 nowrap |

|-| Robert J. Gamble| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Populist gain.

|}

Tennessee

See also: List of United States representatives from Tennessee.

|-! | William C. Anderson| | Republican| 1894| |Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Henry R. Gibson| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Foster V. Brown| | Republican| 1894| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Benton McMillin| | Democratic| 1878| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James D. Richardson| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph E. Washington| | Democratic| 1886| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Nicholas N. Cox| | Democratic| 1890| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John E. McCall| | Republican| 1894| |Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James C. McDearmon| | Democratic| 1892| |Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Josiah Patterson| | Democratic| 1890| |Incumbent lost re-election as a National Democrat.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.|

|}

Texas

See also: List of United States representatives from Texas.

Utah

See also: List of United States representatives from Utah.

Vermont

See also: List of United States representatives from Vermont.

|-! | H. Henry Powers| | Republican| 1890| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William W. Grout| | Republican| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Virginia

See also: List of United States representatives from Virginia.

Washington

See also: List of United States representatives from Washington.

|-! rowspan= "2"|
| William H. Doolittle| | Republican| 1892| |Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap rowspan="2"|

|-| Samuel C. Hyde| | Republican| 1894| |Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Silver Republican gain.

|}

West Virginia

See also: List of United States representatives from West Virginia.

|-! | Blackburn B. Dovener| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Alston G. Dayton| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James H. Huling| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Warren Miller| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Wisconsin

See also: List of United States representatives from Wisconsin. Wisconsin elected ten members of congress on Election Day, November 3, 1896.[2] [3]

|-! | Henry Allen Cooper| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Edward Sauerhering| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph W. Babcock| | Republican| 1892| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Theobald Otjen| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel S. Barney| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel A. Cook| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent declined re-nomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Michael Griffin| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Edward S. Minor| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Alexander Stewart| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John J. Jenkins| | Republican| 1894| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Wyoming

See main article: 1896 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming.

See also: List of United States representatives from Wyoming.

|-! | Frank W. Mondell| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|}

Non-voting delegates

Oklahoma Territory

See also: List of United States representatives from Oklahoma.

|-! | Dennis T. Flynn| | Republican| 1892| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New delegate elected.
Silver gain.| nowrap |

|}

See also

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Martis, pp. 150–151.
  2. Web site: Wisconsin U.S. House Election Results . 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 . Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs . March 8, 2022 . .
  3. The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin 1897 . 1897 . State of Wisconsin . Casson . Henry . . Biographical Sketches . April 8, 2023 .