1908 United States House of Representatives elections explained

Election Name:	1908 United States House of Representatives elections
Country:	United States
Flag Year:	1908
Type:	legislative
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1906 United States House of Representatives elections
Previous Year:	1906
Next Election:	1910 United States House of Representatives elections
Next Year:	1910
Majority Seats:	196
Election Date:	June 1, September 1, September 14, and November 3, 1908
Image1:	JGCannon.jpg
Party1:	Republican Party (US)
Last Election1:	223 seats
Seats1:	219^[1] ^[2]
Seat Change1:	4
Popular Vote1:	7,227,470
Percentage1:	50.05%
Swing1:	0.01%
Party2:	Democratic Party (US)
Last Election2:	167 seats
Seats2:	172
Seat Change2:	5
Popular Vote2:	6,552,986
Percentage2:	45.38%
Swing2:	1.81%
Party4:	Independent (US)
Last Election4:	1 seat
Seats4:	0
Seat Change4:	1
Popular Vote4:	61,499
Percentage4:	0.43%
Before Party:	Republican Party (US)
After Party:	Republican Party (US)

The 1908 United States House of Representatives elections were held for the most part on November 3, 1908, with Oregon, Maine, and Vermont holding theirs early in either June or September. They coincided with the 1908 United States presidential election, which William Howard Taft won. Elections were held for all 391 seats of the United States House of Representatives, representing 46 states, to serve in the 61st United States Congress.

Taft was not as popular as his predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt, but won with Roosevelt's backing, and his Republican Party lost only a handful of seats to the opposition Democrats. Without any striking national issues, the Republicans were able to remain in control. Regional issues led to some changes in House membership, but new Democrats who were elected by dissatisfied industrial workers were balanced out by new Republicans who gained seats in districts with a strong middle class presence.

Election summaries

↓

172	219
Democratic	Republican

State	Type	Total seats	Democratic	Republican
				Seats		Change		Seats		Change
Alabama	District	9		9				0
Arkansas	District	7		7				0
California	District	8		0				8
Colorado	District +at-large	3		3		3		0		3
Connecticut	District +at-large	5		0				5
Delaware	At-large	1		0				1
Florida	District	3		3				0
Georgia	District	11		11				0
Idaho	At-large	1		0				1
Illinois	District	25		6		1		19		1
Indiana	District	13		11		7		2		7
Iowa	District	11		1				10
Kansas	District	8		0				8
Kentucky	District	11		8		1		3		1
Louisiana	District	7		7				0
Maine	District	4		0				4
Maryland	District	6		3				3
Massachusetts	District	14		3				11
Michigan	District	12		0				12
Minnesota	District	9		1				8
Mississippi	District	8		8				0
Missouri	District	16		10		2		6		2
Montana	At-large	1		0				1
Nebraska	District	6		3		2		3		2
Nevada	At-large	1		1				0
New Hampshire	District	2		0				2
New Jersey	District	10		3		1		7		1
New York	District	37		11				26
North Carolina	District	10		7		3		3		3
North Dakota	District	2		0				2
Ohio	District	21		8		3		13		3
Oklahoma	District	5		2		2		3		2
Oregon	District	2		0				2
Pennsylvania	District	32		5		2		27		2
Rhode Island	District	2		0		1		2		1
South Carolina	District	7		7				0
South Dakota	At-large	2		0				2
Tennessee	District	10		8				2
Texas	District	16		16				0
Utah	At-large	1		0				1
Vermont	District	2		0				2
Virginia	District	10		9				1
Washington	District	3		0				3
West Virginia	District	5		0				5
Wisconsin	District	11		1		1		10		1
Wyoming	At-large	1		0				1
Total		391		172		5		219		5

Special elections

See also: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives. There were nine special elections in 1908.

|-! | George W. Smith| | Republican| 1902| | Incumbent died November 30, 1907.
New member elected February 15, 1908.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Ariosto A. Wiley| | Democratic| 1900| | Incumbent died June 17, 1908.
New member elected November 3, 1908 to finish his brother's term.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Abraham L. Brick| | Republican| 1898| | Incumbent died April 7, 1908.
New member elected November 3, 1908.
Democratic gain.
Successor was also elected the same day to the next term; see below.| nowrap |

|-! | Adolph Meyer| | Democratic| 1890| | Incumbent died March 8, 1908.
New member elected November 3, 1908.
Democratic hold.
Successor was also elected the same day to the next term; see below.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles E. Littlefield| | Republican| 1899 | | Incumbent died September 30, 1908.
New member elected November 3, 1908.
Republican hold.
Successor had already been elected to the next term; see below.| nowrap |

|-! | Llewellyn Powers| | Republican| 1876
1878
1901 | | Incumbent died July 28, 1908.
New member elected November 3, 1908.
Republican hold.
Successor had already been elected to the next term; see below.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles T. Dunwell| | Republican| 1902| | Incumbent died June 12, 1908.
New member elected November 3, 1908.
Republican hold.
Successor was also elected the same day to the next term; see below.| nowrap |

|-! | William H. Parker| | Republican| 1906| | Incumbent died June 26, 1908.
New member elected November 3, 1908.
Republican hold.
Successor was also elected the same day to the next term; see below.| nowrap |

|}

Regular election dates

All the states held their regular elections November 3, 1908 except for three, which, held elections:

• June 1: Oregon
• September 1: Vermont
• September 14: Maine

Alabama

See also: List of United States representatives from Alabama.

Alaska Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Arizona Territory

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Arkansas

See also: List of United States representatives from Arkansas.

California

See main article: 1908 United States House of Representatives elections in California.

See also: List of United States representatives from California.

|-! | William F. Englebright| | Republican| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Duncan E. McKinlay| | Republican| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph R. Knowland| | Republican| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Julius Kahn| | Republican| 1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Everis A. Hayes| | Republican| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James C. Needham| | Republican| 1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James McLachlan| | Republican| 1900| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Sylvester C. Smith| | Republican| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| 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 also: List of United States representatives from Florida.

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

|-! | Frank Clark| | Democratic| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William B. Lamar| | Democratic| 1902| | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator.
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.

|-! | Burton L. French| | Republican| 1902| | Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| 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.

|-! | Daniel R. Anthony Jr.| | Republican| 1907 | Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles F. Scott| | Republican| 1900| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Philip P. Campbell| | Republican| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James Monroe Miller| | Republican| 1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William A. Calderhead| | Republican| 1894
1896
1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William A. Reeder| | Republican| 1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Edmond H. Madison| | Republican| 1900| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Victor Murdock| | Republican| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

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.

Maryland

See also: List of United States representatives from Maryland.

|-! | William H. Jackson| | Republican| 1906| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap | |-! | J. Frederick C. Talbott| | Democratic| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | Harry Benjamin Wolf| | Democratic| 1906| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | John Gill Jr.| | Democratic| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Sydney Emanuel Mudd I| | Republican| 1896| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | George A. Pearre| | Republican| 1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |}

Massachusetts

See also: List of United States representatives from Massachusetts.

|-! | George P. Lawrence| | Republican| 1897 (special)| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

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

|-! | Charles G. Washburn| | Republican| 1906 (special)| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles Q. Tirrell| | Republican| 1900| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Butler Ames| | Republican| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Augustus Peabody Gardner| | Republican| 1902 (special)| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Ernest W. Roberts| | Republican| 1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

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

|-! | John A. Keliher| | Democratic| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph F. O'Connell| | Democratic| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Andrew James Peters| | Democratic| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John W. Weeks| | Republican| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William S. Greene| | Republican| 1898 (special)| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William C. Lovering| | Republican| 1896| 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.

|-! | Ezekiel S. Candler Jr.| | Democratic| 1900| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Thomas Spight| | Democratic| 1898 (special)| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Benjamin G. Humphreys II| | Democratic| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Wilson S. Hill| | Democratic| 1902| | Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Adam M. Byrd| | Democratic| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Eaton J. Bowers| | Democratic| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Frank A. McLain| | Democratic| 1898 (special)| | Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | John S. Williams| | Democratic| 1892| | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator.
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 N. Pray| | Republican| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Nebraska

See also: List of United States representatives from Nebraska.

|-! | Ernest M. Pollard| | Republican| 1905 (special)| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Gilbert Hitchcock| | Democratic| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John F. Boyd| | Republican| 1906| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Democratic gain.| nowrap |

|-! | Edmund H. Hinshaw| | Republican| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George W. Norris| | Republican| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Moses Kinkaid| | Republican| 1902| 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.

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.

North Dakota

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

|-! rowspan=2 |
| Thomas F. Marshall| | Republican| nowrap | 1900| | Incumbent retired to run for U.S. senator.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap rowspan=2 |

|-| Asle Gronna| | Republican| nowrap | 1904| Incumbent re-elected.

|}

Ohio

See also: List of United States representatives from Ohio.

Oklahoma

See main article: 1908 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma.

See also: List of United States representatives from Oklahoma.

|-! | Bird S. McGuire| | 1907| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Bird S. McGuire (Republican) 50.6%
• Henry S. Johnston (Democratic) 44.5%
• Achilles W. Renshaw (Socialist) 4.9%^[3]

|-! | Elmer L. Fulton| | 1907| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

• Dick T. Morgan (Republican) 46.9%
• Elmer L. Fulton (Democratic) 45.2%
• Charles P. Randall (Socialist) 7.9%^[4]

|-! | James S. Davenport| | 1907| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

• Charles E. Creager (Republican) 48.3%
• James S. Davenport (Democratic) 46.2%
• Winston T. Banks (Socialist) 5.5%^[5]

|-! | Charles D. Carter| | 1907| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Charles D. Carter (Democratic) 50.6%
• Benjamin F. Hackett (Republican) 36.1%
• M. C. Carter (Socialist) 13.3%^[6]

|-! | Scott Ferris| | 1907| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Scott Ferris (Democratic) 55.8%
• Thompson (Republican) 34.4%
• W. D. Davis (Socialist) 9.8%^[7]

|}

Oregon

See also: List of United States representatives from Oregon.

|-! | Willis C. Hawley| | Republican| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• Willis C. Hawley (Republican) 58.76%
• J. J. Whitney (Democratic) 27.35%
• W. S. Richards (Socialist) 8.01%
• Daniel Staver (Prohibition) 5.88%^[8]

|-! | William R. Ellis| | Republican| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

• William R. Ellis (Republican) 63.55%
• John A. Jeffrey (Democratic) 24.77%
• G. E. Sanders (Socialist) 6.89%
• H. C. Shaffer (Prohibition) 4.80%^[9]

|}

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: 1908 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina.

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

|-! | George Swinton Legaré| | Democratic| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James O'H. Patterson| | Democratic| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Wyatt Aiken| | Democratic| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph T. Johnson| | Democratic| 1900| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | David E. Finley| | Democratic| 1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | J. Edwin Ellerbe| | Democratic| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Asbury F. Lever| | Democratic| 1901 | Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

South Dakota

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

|-! rowspan=2 |
| Philo Hall| | Republican| 1906| | Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| rowspan=2 nowrap |

|-| colspan=3 | Vacant (incumbent died June 26, 1908)| | New member elected.
Republican hold.

|}

Tennessee

See also: List of United States representatives from Tennessee.

|-! | Walter P. Brownlow| | Republican| 1896| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Nathan W. Hale| | Republican| 1904| |Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|-! | John A. Moon| | Democratic| 1896| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Cordell Hull| | Democratic| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William C. Houston| | Democratic| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John W. Gaines| | Democratic| 1896| |Incumbent lost renomination.
New member elected.
Democratic hold.| nowrap |

|-! | Lemuel P. Padgett| | Democratic| 1900| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Thetus W. Sims| | Democratic| 1896| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Finis J. Garrett| | Democratic| 1904| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George Gordon| | Democratic| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.|

|}

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.

Virginia

See also: List of United States representatives from Virginia.

|-! | | | | ||-! | | | | ||-! | | | | ||-! | | | | ||-! | | | | ||-! | Carter Glass| | Democratic| 1902 | Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | | | | ||-! | | | | ||-! | C. Bascom Slemp| | Republican| 1907 | Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap | |-! | | | | ||}

Washington

See also: List of United States representatives from Washington.

West Virginia

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

|-! | William P. Hubbard| | Republican| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | George C. Sturgiss| | Republican| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Joseph H. Gaines| | Republican| 1900| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Harry C. Woodyard| | Republican| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James A. Hughes| | Republican| 1900| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Wisconsin

See also: List of United States representatives from Wisconsin. Wisconsin elected eleven members of congress on Election Day, November 3, 1908.^{[10] [11]}

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

|-! | John M. Nelson| | Republican| 1906
| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James W. Murphy| | Democratic| 1906| | Incumbent lost re-election.
New member elected.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-! | William J. Cary| | Republican| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | William H. Stafford| | Republican| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Charles H. Weisse| | Democratic| 1902| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John J. Esch| | Republican| 1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | James H. Davidson| | Republican| 1896| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Gustav Küstermann| | Republican| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | Elmer A. Morse| | Republican| 1906| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|-! | John J. Jenkins| | Republican| 1894| | Incumbent lost re-nomination.
New member elected.
Republican hold.| nowrap |

|}

Wyoming

See also: List of United States representatives from Wyoming.

|-! | Frank W. Mondell| | Republican| 1898| Incumbent re-elected.| nowrap |

|}

Non-voting delegates

See also: Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives, List of United States representatives from Alaska, List of United States representatives from Arizona and List of United States representatives from New Mexico.

|-! | Thomas Cale| | Independent| 1906| | Incumbent retired.
New delegate elected August 11, 1908.
Republican gain.| nowrap |

|-!

|-! | William Henry Andrews| | Republican| 1904| Incumbent re-elected November 3, 1908.| nowrap |

|}

See also

• 1908 United States elections
  • 1908 United States presidential election
  • 1908–09 United States Senate elections
• 60th United States Congress
• 61st United States Congress

Bibliography

• Book: Dubin, Michael J. . 1788 United States Congressional Elections-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 . January 21, 2015 . Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives.
• Book: Secretary of State . Maryland Manual 1908 . 1909 . Wm. J. C. Dulany Co. . Baltimore . 23 June 2020.

External links

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789–Present . May 18, 2015 . Office of the Historian, United States House of Representatives.
2. Martis, pp. 162–163.
3. Web site: OK District 01 Race - Nov 03, 1908 . Our Campaigns . April 25, 2008 . February 20, 2022 .
4. Web site: OK District 02 Race - Nov 03, 1908 . Our Campaigns . April 25, 2008 . February 20, 2022 .
5. Web site: OK District 03 Race - Nov 03, 1908 . Our Campaigns . April 25, 2008 . February 20, 2022 .
6. Web site: OK District 04 Race - Nov 03, 1908 . Our Campaigns . April 26, 2008 . February 20, 2022 .
7. Web site: OK District 05 Race - Nov 03, 1908 . Our Campaigns . April 28, 2008 . February 20, 2022 .
8. Web site: OR - District 01 Race - Jun 01, 1908 . Our Campaigns . 1 December 2021 .
9. Web site: OR - District 02 Race - Jun 01, 1908 . Our Campaigns . 1 December 2021 .
10. 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 . .
11. The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin 1909 . 1909 . Wisconsin Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics . Beck . J. D. . Biographical Sketches . 1084–1087 . June 9, 2024 .