1998 United States House of Representatives elections


The 1998 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 3, 1998, to elect U.S. Representatives to serve in the 106th United States Congress. They were part of the midterm elections held during President Bill Clinton's second term. They were a major disappointment for the Republicans, who were expecting to gain seats due to the embarrassment Clinton suffered during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the "six-year itch" effect observed in most second-term midterm elections. However, the Republicans lost five seats to the Democrats, although they retained a narrow majority in the House. A wave of Republican discontent with Speaker Newt Gingrich prompted him to resign shortly after the election; he was replaced by Congressman Dennis Hastert of Illinois.
The campaign was marked by Republican attacks on the morality of President Bill Clinton, with independent counsel Kenneth Starr having released his report on the Lewinsky scandal and House leaders having initiated an inquiry into whether impeachable offenses had occurred. However, exit polls indicated that most voters opposed impeaching Clinton, and predictions of high Republican or low Democratic turnout due to the scandal failed to materialize. Some speculate that the losses reflected a backlash against the Republicans for attacking the popular Clinton. With the Republicans having lost four House seats and failing to gain any seats in the Senate, it was the first time since 1934 that the non-presidential party failed to gain congressional seats in a midterm election; this would happen again in 2002. This was the last election until 2024 where no incumbents who served at least 6 terms lost re-nomination or re-election, and it was also the most recent where no Democratic incumbent lost renomination.

Results

Federal

Source:

Incumbent retirements

Democrats

  1. : Vic Fazio
  2. : Esteban Torres
  3. : Jane Harman: To run for Governor
  4. : David Skaggs
  5. : Barbara B. Kennelly: To run for Governor
  6. : Sidney R. Yates
  7. : Glenn Poshard: To run for Governor
  8. : Lee Hamilton
  9. : Scotty Baesler: To run for U.S. Senate
  10. : Joseph P. Kennedy II
  11. : Thomas Manton
  12. : Chuck Schumer: To run for U.S. Senate
  13. : Bill Hefner
  14. : Louis Stokes
  15. : Elizabeth Furse
  16. : Paul McHale
  17. : Henry B. González

Republicans

  1. : Frank Riggs: To run for U.S. Senate
  2. : Daniel Schaefer
  3. : Mike Crapo: To run for U.S. Senate
  4. : Harris Fawell
  5. : Jim Bunning: To run for U.S. Senate
  6. : Michael Parker: To run for Governor
  7. : Jon Christensen: To run for Governor
  8. : John Ensign: To run for U.S. Senate
  9. : Gerald Solomon
  10. : Bill Paxon
  11. : Bob Smith
  12. : Joseph M. McDade
  13. : Bob Inglis: To run for U.S. Senate
  14. : Linda Smith: To run for U.S. Senate
  15. : Mark Neumann: To run for U.S. Senate
  16. : Scott Klug

Incumbents defeated

In primary elections

This remains the most recent election as of 2024 where no Democratic incumbent lost to a Democratic challenger.

Republicans who lost to a Republican challenger

  1. : Jay Kim lost to Gary Miller who later won the general election

In the general election

Democrats who lost to a Republican challenger

  1. : Jay Johnson lost to Mark Green

Republicans who lost to a Democratic challenger

  1. : Vince Snowbarger lost to Dennis Moore
  2. : Mike Pappas lost to Rush Holt Jr.
  3. : Bill Redmond lost to Tom Udall
  4. : Jon D. Fox lost to Joe Hoeffel
  5. : Rick White lost to Jay Inslee

Closest races

Forty-three races were decided by 10% or lower.
DistrictWinnerMargin
data-sort-value=1 0.30%
data-sort-value=1 1.49%
data-sort-value=-1 1.49%
data-sort-value=1 2.22%
data-sort-value=0.5 2.32%
data-sort-value=-1 2.43%
data-sort-value=0.5 2.54%
data-sort-value=-1 2.83%
data-sort-value=-0.5 2.87%
data-sort-value=-1 2.99%
data-sort-value=-1 3.12%
data-sort-value=-0.5 3.59%
data-sort-value=-1 3.98%
data-sort-value=1 4.00
data-sort-value=1 4.29%
data-sort-value=-0.5 4.78%
data-sort-value=-1 4.98%
data-sort-value=-0.5 5.66%
data-sort-value=-0.5 5.79%
data-sort-value=1 5.97%
data-sort-value=-1 5.99%
data-sort-value=-1 6.13%
data-sort-value=1 6.41%
data-sort-value=-1 6.55%
data-sort-value=-0.5 6.82%
data-sort-value=-1 7.10%
data-sort-value=0.5 7.15%
data-sort-value=0.5 7.37%
data-sort-value=1 7.82%
data-sort-value=1 8.09%
data-sort-value=-1 8.29%
data-sort-value=1 8.38%
data-sort-value=-0.5 8.53%
data-sort-value=1 8.37%
data-sort-value=1 8.65%
data-sort-value=0.5 9.21%
data-sort-value=1 9.30%
data-sort-value=-1 9.30%
data-sort-value=0.5 9.31%
data-sort-value=1 9.37%
data-sort-value=1 9.51%
data-sort-value=-0.5 9.89%
data-sort-value=-1 9.97%

Special elections

DistrictIncumbentPartyFirst
elected		ResultsCandidates
Floyd FlakeDemocratic1986Incumbent resigned November 17, 1997 to work at his church full-time.
New member elected February 3, 1998.
Democratic hold.
Winner was re-elected in November, [|see below].
Walter CappsDemocratic1996Incumbent died October 28, 1997.
New member elected March 10, 1998.
Democratic hold.
Winner was re-elected in November, see below.
Ron DellumsDemocratic1970Incumbent resigned February 6, 1998.
New member elected April 7, 1998.
Democratic hold.
Winner was re-elected in November, see below.
Sonny BonoRepublican1994Incumbent died January 5, 1998.
New member elected April 7, 1998.
Republican hold.
Winner was re-elected in November, see below.
Thomas M. FogliettaDemocratic1980Incumbent resigned November 11, 1997, to become U.S. Ambassador to Italy.
New member elected May 19, 1998.
Democratic hold.
Winner was re-elected in November, see below.
Steven SchiffRepublican1988Incumbent died March 25, 1998.
New member elected June 23, 1998.
Republican hold.
Winner was re-elected in November, see below.

Arkansas

Delaware

Idaho

Kansas

Maryland

Mississippi

Nevada

New York

Oklahoma