1888 United States House of Representatives elections explained

Election Name:	1888 United States House of Representatives elections
Country:	United States
Flag Year:	1877
Type:	legislative
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1886 United States House of Representatives elections
Previous Year:	1886
Next Election:	1890 United States House of Representatives elections
Next Year:	1890
Majority Seats:	167
Election Date:	June 6, September 4, September 10, and November 6, 1888
Image1:	TBReed.jpg
Party1:	Republican Party (US)
Last Election1:	152 seats
Seats1:	179^[1]
Seat Change1:	27
Popular Vote1:	5,408,259
Percentage1:	47.36%
Swing1:	2.37%
Party2:	Democratic Party (US)
Last Election2:	167 seats
Seats2:	152^[2]
Seat Change2:	15
Popular Vote2:	5,558,964
Percentage2:	48.68%
Swing2:	0.56%
Party4:	Labor Party (US, 19th century)
Last Election4:	2 seats
Seats4:	1
Seat Change4:	1
Popular Vote4:	161,225
Percentage4:	1.41%
Swing4:	0.33%
Party5:	Independent (US)
Last Election5:	2 seats
Seats5:	0
Seat Change5:	2
Popular Vote5:	61,520
Percentage5:	0.54%
Swing5:	1.54%
Map Size:	320px
Before Party:	Democratic Party (US)
After Party:	Republican Party (US)

The 1888 United States House of Representatives elections were held for the most part on November 6, 1888, with three states holding theirs early between June and September. They occurred at the same time as the election of President Benjamin Harrison. Elections were initially held for 325 seats of the United States House of Representatives, representing 38 states, to serve in the 51st United States Congress. Six new states would later join the union and increase the House to 332 seats. Special elections were also held throughout the year.

Harrison's Republican Party gained a majority in the House at the expense of the Democratic Party, even though incumbent President Grover Cleveland actually received more votes counted than Harrison. However, as in other elections in the period, widespread vote suppression and electoral fraud was common on behalf of Democrats and against black Republicans in the Southern United States. The Republican House majority in uncontested elections unseated a number of initially reported as victorious Democratic candidates in favor of Republican candidates who contested their election loss.

The issue of tariffs played a key role in this election. The Democrats, with the support of farmers and laborers, wanted to lower tariffs in order to promote free trade, while the Republicans, backed by industry and big business, believed that higher tariffs were necessary to protect American manufacturing. Especially in industrializing regions, voters chose the Republican view on tariffs, as they gave the party a slim majority in the House.

Hamilton D. Coleman’s win in the Second District would prove the last time until 1972 that a Republican won any House seat in Louisiana,^[3] for the disenfrachisement of almost all blacks in the 1890s would leave that state completely devoid of Republican support until after the Dixiecrat bolt.^[4]

Election summaries

Seven seats were added, for the six new states of, in order of admission (number of House seats for each new state listed in parentheses): North Dakota (1), South Dakota (2), Montana (1), Washington (1), Idaho (1), and Wyoming (1).

↓

179	1	152
Republican		Democratic

State	Type	Total seats	Republican	Democratic
				Seats		Change		Seats		Change
Alabama	District	align=right	8	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	7	align=right	1
Arkansas	District	align=right	5	align=right	1	align=right		align=right	3	align=right
California	District	align=right	6	align=right	4	align=right		align=right	2	align=right
Colorado	At-large	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right		align=right	0	align=right
Connecticut	District	align=right	4	align=right	3	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	1
Delaware	At-large	align=right	1	align=right	0	align=right		align=right	1	align=right
Florida	District	align=right	2	align=right	0	align=right		align=right	2	align=right
Georgia	District	align=right	10	align=right	0	align=right		align=right	10	align=right
Illinois	District	align=right	20	align=right	13	align=right	1	align=right	7	align=right	1
Indiana	District	align=right	13	align=right	3	align=right	4	align=right	10	align=right	4
Iowa	District	align=right	11	align=right	10	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right
Kansas	District	align=right	7	align=right	7	align=right		align=right	0	align=right
Kentucky	District	align=right	11	align=right	2	align=right	1	align=right	9	align=right	1
Louisiana	District	align=right	6	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	5	align=right	1
Maine	District	align=right	4	align=right	4	align=right		align=right	0	align=right
Maryland	District	align=right	6	align=right	3	align=right	2	align=right	3	align=right	2
Massachusetts	District	align=right	12	align=right	10	align=right	2	align=right	2	align=right	2
Michigan	District	align=right	11	align=right	9	align=right	3	align=right	2	align=right	3
Minnesota	District	align=right	5	align=right	5	align=right	3	align=right	0	align=right	3
Mississippi	District	align=right	7	align=right	0	align=right		align=right	7	align=right
Missouri	District	align=right	14	align=right	4	align=right	2	align=right	10	align=right	2
Nebraska	District	align=right	3	align=right	3	align=right	1	align=right	0	align=right	1
Nevada	At-large	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right		align=right	0	align=right
New Hampshire	District	align=right	2	align=right	2	align=right	1	align=right	0	align=right	1
New Jersey	District	align=right	7	align=right	4	align=right	1	align=right	3	align=right	1
New York	District	align=right	34	align=right	19	align=right	1	align=right	15	align=right	1
North Carolina	District	align=right	9	align=right	3	align=right	2	align=right	6	align=right	2
Ohio	District	align=right	21	align=right	16	align=right	1	align=right	5	align=right	1
Oregon	At-large	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right		align=right	0	align=right
Pennsylvania	District	align=right	28	align=right	21	align=right	1	align=right	7	align=right	1
Rhode Island	District	align=right	2	align=right	2	align=right		align=right	0	align=right
South Carolina	District	align=right	7	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	6	align=right	1
Tennessee	District	align=right	10	align=right	3	align=right	1	align=right	7	align=right	1
Texas	District	align=right	11	align=right	0	align=right		align=right	11	align=right
Vermont	District	align=right	2	align=right	2	align=right		align=right	0	align=right
Virginia	District	align=right	10	align=right	4	align=right	2	align=right	6	align=right	3
West Virginia	District	align=right	4	align=right	2	align=right	1	align=right	2	align=right	1
Wisconsin	District	align=right	9	align=right	7	align=right		align=right	2	align=right	1
1889 elections (New States)
Montana	At-large	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	0	align=right
North Dakota	At-large	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	0	align=right
South Dakota	At-large	align=right	2	align=right	2	align=right	2	align=right	0	align=right
Washington	At-large	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	0	align=right
1890 elections (New States)
Idaho	At-large	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	0	align=right
Wyoming	At-large	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	1	align=right	0	align=right
Total		332		179		17		152		6

The previous election had 4 third-party candidates, 2 Labor, 1 Greenback, and 1 Independent.

Election dates

All states elected their members November 6, 1888 except, three states, with 7 seats among them:

• June 6: Oregon
• September 4: Vermont
• September 10: Maine

Alabama

See also: List of United States representatives from Alabama.

Arizona Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Arkansas

|-! | Poindexter Dunn| | Democratic| 1878| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Clifton R. Breckinridge| | Democratic| 1882| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

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

|-! | John H. Rogers| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel W. Peel| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

In the, initial returns showed William H. Cate (Democratic) winning the election, but the election was contested by Lewis P. Featherstone (Labor), and on May 5, 1890, he was declared the winner.

In the, Clifton R. Breckinridge (Democratic) was initially declared re-elected. John M. Clayton successfully contested the election, but was assassinated before the contest was complete, so the House declared the seat vacant. Breckinridge was subsequently re-elected November 4, 1890 to finish the term.

California

See main article: 1888 United States House of Representatives elections in California.

See also: List of United States representatives from California.

|-! | Thomas Larkin Thompson| | Democratic| 1886| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Marion Biggs| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph McKenna| | Republican| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

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

|-! | Charles N. Felton| | Republican| 1884| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William Vandever| | Republican| 1886| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold| 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: 1888 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida.

See also: List of United States representatives from Florida.

|-! | Robert H. M. Davidson| | Democratic| 1876| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles Dougherty| | Democratic| 1884| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold| nowrap |

|}

Idaho Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

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 B. Reed| | Republican| 1876|Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Nelson Dingley Jr.| | Republican| 1881 | 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. |-! | Robert T. Davis| | Republican| 1882| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | John Davis Long| | Republican| 1882| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Leopold Morse| | Democratic| 1886| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Patrick Collins| | Democratic| 1882| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.|

|-! | Edward D. Hayden| | Republican| 1886| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Henry Cabot Lodge| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William Cogswell| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles Herbert Allen| | Republican| 1886| |Incumbent not re-nominated.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Edward Burnett| | Democratic| 1886| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John E. Russell| | Democratic| 1886| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William Whiting II| | Republican| 1882| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Francis W. Rockwell| | Republican| 1884| 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 |

|-! | James B. Morgan| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

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

|-! | Frederick G. Barry| | Democratic| 1884| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Chapman L. Anderson| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | T. R. Stockdale| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles E. Hooker| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Missouri

See also: List of United States representatives from Missouri.

Nebraska

See also: List of United States representatives from Nebraska.

|-! | John A. McShane| | Democratic| 1886| | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | James Laird| | Republican | 1882| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George W. E. Dorsey| | Republican | 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| 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.

Montana Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

New Mexico Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

New York

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

North Carolina

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

Ohio

See also: List of United States representatives from Ohio.

|-! | Benjamin Butterworth| | Republican| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles Elwood Brown| | Republican| 1884| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Elihu S. Williams| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Samuel S. Yoder| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George E. Seney| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Melvin M. Boothman| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James E. Campbell| | Democratic| 1886| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Robert P. Kennedy| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William C. Cooper| | Republican| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Jacob Romeis| | Republican| 1884| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Albert C. Thompson| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Jacob J. Pugsley| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph H. Outhwaite| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles P. Wickham| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles H. Grosvenor| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Beriah Wilkins| | Democratic| 1886| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph D. Taylor| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William McKinley| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Ezra B. Taylor| | Republican| 1880 (s)| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George W. Crouse| | Republican| 1886| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Martin A. Foran| | Democratic| 1882| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|}

Oregon

See also: List of United States representatives from Oregon.

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: 1888 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina.

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

|-! | Samuel Dibble| | Democratic| 1882| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George D. Tillman| | Democratic| 1878| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James S. Cothran| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William H. Perry| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John J. Hemphill| | Democratic| 1882| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George W. Dargan| | Democratic| 1882| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William Elliott| | Democratic| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

In the, Elliott was initially declared re-elected, but Miller successfully challenged the election and was seated in his place in September 1890.

Tennessee

See also: List of United States representatives from Tennessee.

|-! | Roderick R. Butler| | Republican| 1886| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Leonidas C. Houk| | Republican| 1878| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John R. Neal| | Democratic| 1884| |Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican 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 re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Washington C. Whitthorne| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Benjamin A. Enloe| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Presley T. Glass| | Democratic| 1884| |Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | James Phelan Jr.| | Democratic| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.|

|}

Texas

See also: List of United States representatives from Texas.

Utah Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Vermont

See also: List of United States representatives from Vermont.

Virginia

See also: List of United States representatives from Virginia.

Washington Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

West Virginia

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

|-! rowspan=2 | | rowspan=2 | Nathan Goff Jr.| rowspan=2 | Republican| rowspan=2 | 1882| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap | |-| | Election successfully contested.
New member seated February 26, 1890.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | William L. Wilson| | Democratic| 1882| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles P. Snyder| | Democratic| 1883 (special)| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! rowspan=2 || rowspan=2 | Charles E. Hogg| rowspan=2 | Democratic| rowspan=2 | 1886| | Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap rowspan=2 | |-| | Election successfully contested.
New member seated February 3, 1890.
Republican gain.|}

Wisconsin

See also: List of United States representatives from Wisconsin. Wisconsin elected nine members of congress on Election Day, November 6, 1888.^{[5] [6]}

|-! | Lucien B. Caswell| | Republican| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Richard W. Guenther| | Republican| 1886| | Incumbent declined re-nomination.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Robert M. La Follette| | Republican| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Henry Smith| | Union Labor| 1886| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Thomas R. Hudd| | Democratic| 1886
Special| | Incumbent lost re-nomination.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles B. Clark| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Ormsby B. Thomas| | Republican| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Nils P. Haugen| | Republican| 1887| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Isaac Stephenson| | Republican| 1882| | Incumbent declined re-nomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|}

Wyoming Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Non-voting delegates

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

|-!

|-! | Fred Dubois| | Republican| 1886| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph K. Toole| | Democratic| 1884| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-!

|-!

|-!

|-! | Joseph M. Carey| | Republican| 1884| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

See also

• 1888 United States elections
  • 1888 United States presidential election
  • 1888–89 United States Senate elections
• 50th United States Congress
• 51st 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 . McFarland and Company . March 1, 1998 . 978-0786402830.
• Book: Martis, Kenneth C. . The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989 . Macmillan Publishing Company . January 1, 1989 . 978-0029201701.
• Book: John L. . Moore . Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections . Congressional Quarterly Inc. . Third . 1994 . 978-0871879967.
• 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. Martis, pp. 142–143.
2. Martis, pp. 142–143.
3. News: Parish Follows Trend: Local Voters Support Nixon, Treen, Johnston. 1. The St. Charles Herald. Hahnville, Louisiana. November 9, 1972.
4. Book: Phillips, Kevin P.. The Emerging Republican Majority. 208, 210. 9780691163246.
5. 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 . November 19, 2021 . Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs . .
6. The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin . State of Wisconsin . 1889 . . https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1889/reference/wi.wibluebk1889.i0015.pdf . Timme . Ernst G. . Biographical . 487–489 . November 21, 2021 .