1990 United States House of Representatives elections


The 1990 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for the United States House of Representatives on November 6, 1990, to elect members to serve in the 102nd United States Congress. They occurred in the middle of President George H. W. Bush's term. As in most midterm elections, the president's Republican Party lost seats to the Democratic Party, slightly increasing the Democratic majority in the chamber. It was a rare instance, however, in which both major parties lost votes to third parties such as the Libertarian Party as well as independent candidates.
, this is the last time any party won at least 260 House seats, or 60 percent of the chamber's seats. It is also the last time a president's party successfully defended an open House seat that the other party won in the previous presidential election, according to Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball; in this case, the Republicans defended Iowa's 2nd congressional district.

Election summaries

407 incumbent members sought reelection, but one was defeated a primary and 15 were defeated in the general election for a total of 391 incumbents winning.
Source:

Retirements

There were a total of 27 Representatives and one delegate not seeking re-election: 11 Democrats and 17 Republicans.

Democrats

  1. : Ronnie Flippo retired to run for Governor of Alabama.
  2. : Augustus Hawkins retired.
  3. : Bruce Morrison retired to run for Governor of Connecticut.
  4. : Walter Fauntroy retired to run for mayor of Washington D.C.
  5. : Bill Nelson retired to run for Governor of Florida.
  6. : Lindy Boggs retired.
  7. : Joseph E. Brennan retired to run for Governor of Maine.
  8. : George Crockett Jr. retired.
  9. : Tom Luken retired
  10. : Wes Watkins retired to run for Governor of Oklahoma.
  11. : Marvin Leath retired.

Republicans

  1. : Tommy F. Robinson retired to run for Governor of Arkansas.
  2. : Norman D. Shumway retired.
  3. : Hank Brown retired to run for U.S. Senate.
  4. : John G. Rowland retired to run for Governor of Connecticut.
  5. : Pat Saiki retired to run for U.S. Senate.
  6. : Larry Craig retired to run for U.S. Senate.
  7. : Lynn Morley Martin retired to run for U.S. Senate.
  8. : Tom Tauke retired to run for U.S. Senate.
  9. : Bob Whittaker retired.
  10. : Bill Schuette retired to run for U.S. Senate.
  11. : Bill Frenzel retired.
  12. : Virginia D. Smith retired.
  13. : Bob Smith retired to run for U.S. Senate.
  14. : Jim Courter retired
  15. : Mike DeWine retired to run for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.
  16. : Claudine Schneider retired to run for U.S. Senate.
  17. : Howard C. Nielson retired

Resignations

Four incumbents resigned in 1990, three Democrats and one Republican, with no special elections to fill the vacant seats before the November election.

Democrats

  1. : Robert Garcia resigned January 7, 1990 following trial over links to involvement in Wedtech scandal.
  2. : James Florio resigned January 16, 1990, to become Governor of New Jersey.
  3. : Daniel Akaka resigned January 16, 1990, to become a U.S. Senator.

Republican

  1. : Guy Molinari Incumbent resigned December 31, 1989.

Incumbents defeated

In primary elections

One Member of Congress lost renomination.

Republican

  1. : Buz Lukens lost renomination to John Boehner, who won the general election.

In general elections

Democrats

Six Democrats lost re-election to Republicans
  1. : Douglas H. Bosco lost re-election to Frank Riggs
  2. : Jim Bates lost re-election to Duke Cunningham
  3. : Roy Dyson lost re-election to Wayne Gilchrest
  4. : James M. Clarke lost re-election to Charles H. Taylor
  5. : Doug Walgren lost re-election to Rick Santorum
  6. : Robert Kastenmeier lost re-election to Scott Klug

Republicans

Eight Republicans lost re-election to Democrats
  1. : Chip Pashayan lost re-election to Cal Dooley
  2. : James W. Grant lost re-election to Pete Peterson
  3. : John P. Hiler lost re-election to Tim Roemer
  4. : Arlan Stangeland lost re-election to Collin Peterson
  5. : Jack Buechner lost re-election to Joan Kelly Horn
  6. : Charles Douglas III lost re-election to Richard Swett
  7. : Denny Smith lost re-election to Michael J. Kopetski
  8. : Stanford Parris lost re-election Jim Moran
One Republican lost re-election to an Independent
  1. : Peter Plympton Smith lost re-election to Bernie Sanders

Open seats that changed parties

Republican seats won by Democrats

Six Republican seats were won by Democrats
  1. : Won by Ray Thornton
  2. : Won by Neil Abercrombie
  3. : Won by Larry LaRocco
  4. : Won by John W. Cox Jr.
  5. : Won by Jack Reed
  6. : Won by Bill Orton

Democratic seats won by Republicans

There were no Democratic seats won by Republicans

Open seats that parties held

Democratic seats held by Democrats

Democrats held thirteen of their open seats
  1. : Won by Anna Eshoo
  2. : Won by Maxine Waters
  3. : Won by Eleanor Holmes Norton
  4. : Won by Rosa DeLauro
  5. : Won by Jim Bacchus
  6. : Won by Patsy Mink who also won the district's special election, [|see below]
  7. : Won by William Jefferson
  8. : Won by Thomas Andrews
  9. : Won by Barbara-Rose Collins
  10. : Won by Rob Andrews who also won the district's special election, see below
  11. : Won by Charlie Luken
  12. : Won by Bill Brewster
  13. : Won by Chet Edwards

Republican seats held by Republicans

Republicans held twelve of their open seats
  1. : Won by John Doolittle
  2. : Won by Wayne Allard
  3. : Won by Gary Franks
  4. : Won by Jim Nussle
  5. : Won by Dick Nichols
  6. : Won by Dave Camp
  7. : Won by Jim Ramstad
  8. : Won by Bill Barrett
  9. : Won by Bill Zeliff
  10. : Won by Dick Zimmer
  11. : Won by Dave Hobson
  12. : Won by John Boehner

Closest races

Fifty-four races were decided by 10% or lower.
DistrictWinnerMargin
data-sort-value=-0.5 0.03%
data-sort-value=1 0.62%
data-sort-value=1 0.99%
data-sort-value=0.5 1.33%
data-sort-value=0.5 1.44%
data-sort-value=0.5 1.53%
data-sort-value=-1 1.62%
data-sort-value=-0.5 1.78%
data-sort-value=1 1.99%
data-sort-value=1 2.06%
data-sort-value=-1 2.17%
data-sort-value=1 2.27%
data-sort-value=1 2.58%
data-sort-value=-1 2.63%
data-sort-value=1 2.89%
data-sort-value=1 2.93%
data-sort-value=1 3.82%
data-sort-value=1 3.85%
data-sort-value=-1 3.87%
data-sort-value=-1 3.90%
data-sort-value=1 4.09%
data-sort-value=-1 4.21%
data-sort-value=1 4.29%
data-sort-value=-1 4.36%
data-sort-value=-1 4.44%
data-sort-value=1 4.47%
data-sort-value=-1 4.47%
data-sort-value=-1 4.87%
data-sort-value=-1 5.09%
data-sort-value=-0.5 5.37%
data-sort-value=-1 5.42%
data-sort-value=1 5.65%
data-sort-value=-0.5 6.01%
data-sort-value=-1 6.28%
data-sort-value=1 6.45%
data-sort-value=-1 6.82%
data-sort-value=-1 6.91%
data-sort-value=-0.5 7.08%
data-sort-value=1 7.09%
data-sort-value=-0.5 7.12%
data-sort-value=-1 7.52%
data-sort-value=1 8.10%
data-sort-value=1 8.32%
data-sort-value=1 8.35%
data-sort-value=1 8.61%
data-sort-value=1 8.98%
data-sort-value=-0.5 9.09%
data-sort-value=-0.5 9.17%
data-sort-value=-1 9.35%
data-sort-value=1 9.42%
data-sort-value=-1 9.44%
data-sort-value=1 9.51%
data-sort-value=-1 9.94%

Special elections

Elections are listed by date and district.

Arkansas

Delaware

Idaho

Kansas

Louisiana

Six incumbents were re=elected by receiving more than 50% of the vote in their Oct. 6 jungle primary. Baker was automatically re-elected without having to appear on a ballot.

Michigan

Montana

New Jersey

North Dakota

Pennsylvania

Tennessee

Virginia

Wyoming

Works cited

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