1998 Texas House of Representatives election

The 1998 Texas House of Representatives elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Texas voters elected state representatives in all 150 State House of Representatives districts. The winners of this election served in the 76th Texas Legislature. State representatives serve for two-year terms. Republicans gained four seats from the Democrats, reducing the Democratic majority to 78 out of 150 seats.

Background

Democrats had held control of the Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction despite Republicans winning the governorship in 1994 and the Texas Senate in 1996. Democrats faced difficulties from the top of the ticket due to the popular Republican governor George W. Bush running for reelection. Republicans sought to use Bush's coattails to gain several seats in the Texas House, increasing their chances of winning control of the chamber in 2000 ahead of the redistricting that would occur the following year.

Redistricting

Democrats had fully controlled the redistricting process in 1991, and Republicans sued over the Texas House's map. The courts partially overhauled the map as a result of these lawsuits. Democrats codified the court's map into law in a January 1992 special session. The 1995 lawsuit Thomas v. Bush further altered the maps, as the courts reached a settlement with the legislature to alter some districts for the 1996 elections. These changes, plus minor alterations to districts in Williamson County and Jefferson County, were passed into law for the 1998 election.

Results

Republicans flipped four seats from the Democrats, failing to take control of the chamber but further narrowing the Democratic majority.