1888 United States House of Representatives elections

Elections to the United States House of Representatives held in 1888 were held to choose members of the 51st Congress, and were held at the same time as the election of President Benjamin Harrison.

1888 United States House of Representatives elections

November 6, 1888[Note 1]

All 332[Note 2] seats to the United States House of Representatives
167 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Thomas Brackett Reed John G. Carlisle
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat Maine 1st Kentucky 6th
Last election 152 seats 167 seats
Seats won 179[1][Note 3] 152[1][Note 3]
Seat change 27 15
Popular vote 5,408,259 5,558,964
Percentage 47.36% 48.68%
Swing 2.37% 0.56%

  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Labor Independent
Last election 2 seats 2 seats[lower-alpha 1]
Seats won 1[1] 0
Seat change 1 2
Popular vote 161,225 61,520
Percentage 1.41% 0.54%
Swing 0.33% 1.54%

Map of U.S. House elections results from 1888 elections for 51st Congress on election day (a number of Southern seats were later successfully contested and the results overturned)

Speaker before election

John Carlisle
Democratic

Elected Speaker

Thomas Reed
Republican

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 fraud was common on behalf of Democrats and against black Republicans in the South. 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.

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 La Democratic
State Type Total
seats
Republican Democratic
Seats Change Seats Change
Alabama District 8 1 1 7 1
Arkansas District 5[Note 4] 1 3
California District 6 4 2
Colorado At-large 1 1 0
Connecticut District 4 3 1 1 1
Delaware At-large 1 0 1
Florida District 2 0 2
Georgia District 10 0 10
Illinois District 20 13 1 7 1
Indiana District 13 3 4 10 4
Iowa District 11[Note 5] 10 1 1
Kansas District 7 7 0
Kentucky District 11 2 1 9 1
Louisiana District 6 1 1 5 1
Maine[Note 6] District 4 4 0
Maryland District 6 3 2 3 2
Massachusetts District 12 10 2 2 2
Michigan District 11 9 3 2 3
Minnesota District 5 5 3 0 3
Mississippi District 7 0 7
Missouri District 14 4 2 10 2
Nebraska District 3 3 1 0 1
Nevada At-large 1 1 0
New Hampshire District 2 2 1 0 1
New Jersey District 7 4 1 3 1
New York District 34 19 1 15 1
North Carolina District 9[Note 7] 3 2 6 2
Ohio District 21 16 1 5 1
Oregon[Note 6] At-large 1 1 0
Pennsylvania District[Note 8] 28 21 1 7 1
Rhode Island District 2 2 0
South Carolina District 7 1 1 6 1
Tennessee District 10 3 1 7 1
Texas District 11 0 11
Vermont[Note 6] District 2 2 0
Virginia District 10[Note 9] 4 2 6 3
West Virginia District 4 2 1 2 1
Wisconsin District 9[Note 9] 7 2 1
1889 elections (New States)
Montana At-large 1 1 1 0
North Dakota At-large 1 1 1 0
South Dakota At-large 2 2 2 0
Washington At-large 1 1 1 0
1890 elections (New States)
Idaho At-large 1 1 1 0
Wyoming At-large 1 1 1 0
Total[Note 2] 332 179[1]
53.9%
17 152[1]
45.8%
6
House seats
Republican
53.92%
Democratic
45.78%
Labor
0.30%

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

Election dates

In 1888, three states, with 7 seats among them, held elections early:

The States admitted in 1889 all held their first election on October 1.

Wyoming's first election was held on September 11, 1890, for both the 51st Congress and the 52nd Congress. Idaho held two elections simultaneously on October 1, 1890, one for the 51st Congress and the other for the 52nd Congress.

Complete returns

Arkansas

District Incumbent Party First
elected
Result Candidates
Arkansas 1 Poindexter Dunn Democratic 1878 Retired
Democratic hold
William H. Cate (D) 51.9%
Lewis P. Featherstone (L) 47.4%
Others 0.6%
Arkansas 2 Clifton R. Breckinridge Democratic 1882 Re-elected Clifton R. Breckinridge (D) 51.2%
John M. Clayton (R) 48.8%
Arkansas 3 Thomas C. McRae Democratic 1884 Re-elected Thomas C. McRae (D) 59.7%
John Ansley (L) 40.3%
Arkansas 4 John H. Rogers Democratic 1884 Re-elected John H. Rogers (D) 57.8%
Isaac McCacken (I) 42.2%
Arkansas 5 Samuel W. Peel Democratic 1884 Re-elected Samuel W. Peel (D) 68.9%
Edward P. Watson (I) 22.0%
John Gates (R) 9.1%

In the 1st district, initial returns showed William H. Cate (D) winning the election, but the election was contested by Lewis P. Featherstone (L), and on Mary 5, 1890, was declared the winner.

In the 2nd district, Clifton R. Breckinridge (D) 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 then re-elected November 4, 1890 to finish the term.

California

District Incumbent Party First
elected
Result Candidates
California 1 Thomas Larkin Thompson Democratic 1886 Lost re-election
Republican gain
John J. De Haven (R) 49.9%
Thomas L. Thompson (D) 49%
W. D. Reynolds (I) 1.1%
California 2 Marion Biggs Democratic 1886 Re-elected Marion Biggs (D) 50.6%
John A. Eagon (R) 46.6%
S. M. McLean (Pr) 2.4%
J. F. McSwain (I) 0.4%
California 3 Joseph McKenna Republican 1884 Re-elected Joseph McKenna (R) 56.0%
Ben Morgan (D) 41.2%
W. W. Smith (Pr) 1.9%
S. Solon Holl (I) 1.0%
California 4 William W. Morrow Republican 1884 Re-elected William W. Morrow (R) 50.8%
Robert Ferral (D) 48.6%
Frank M. Pixley (S) 0.6%
California 5 Charles N. Felton Republican 1884 Retired
Democratic gain
Thomas J. Clunie (D) 49.3%
Timothy G. Phelps (R) 49.2%
Henry French (I)
California 6 William Vandever Republican 1886 Retired
Republican hold
William Vandever (R) 52.5%
Reel B. Terry (D) 43.7%
J. G. Miller (Pr) 3.5%
Alfred Daggett (KN) 0.2%

Florida

District Incumbent Party First
elected
Result Candidates
Florida 1 Robert H. M. Davidson Democratic 1876 Re-elected Robert H. M. Davidson (D) 67.1%
H. R. Benjamin (R) 32.9%
Florida 2 Charles Dougherty Democratic 1884 Retired
Democratic hold
Robert Bullock (D) 53.5%
Frederick S. Goodrich (R) 46.5%

Ohio

District Incumbent Party First
elected
Result Candidates[2]
Ohio 1 Benjamin Butterworth Republican 1884 Re-elected Benjamin Butterworth (R) 52.6%
Otway Cosgrove (D) 47.4%
Ohio 2 Charles Elwood Brown Republican 1884 Retired
Republican hold
John A. Caldwell (R) 51.9%
Clinton W. Gerard (D) 48.1%
Ohio 3 Elihu S. Williams Republican 1886 Re-elected Elihu S. Williams (R) 50.5%
George W. Houk (D) 49.5%
Ohio 4 Samuel S. Yoder Democratic 1886 Re-elected Samuel S. Yoder (D) 60.6%
Robert L. Mattingly (R) 39.4%
Ohio 5 George E. Seney Democratic 1886 Re-elected George E. Seney (D) 57.9%
Wilson Vance (R) 42.1%
Ohio 6 Melvin M. Boothman Republican 1886 Re-elected Melvin M. Boothman (R) 50.1%
Gaylord M. Saltzgaber (D) 49.9%
Ohio 7 James E. Campbell Democratic 1886 Retired
Republican gain
Henry Lee Morey (R) 51.2%
John M. Pattison (D) 48.8%
Ohio 8 Robert P. Kennedy Republican 1886 Re-elected Robert P. Kennedy (R) 54.2%
Andrew R. Bohn (D) 45.8%
Ohio 9 William C. Cooper Republican 1884 Re-elected William C. Cooper (R) 53.0%
John S. Braddock (R) 47.0%
Ohio 10 Jacob Romeis Republican 1884 Lost Re-election
Democratic gain
William E. Haynes (D) 51.5%
Jacob Romeis (R) 48.5%
Ohio 11 Albert C. Thompson Republican 1886 Re-elected Albert C. Thompson (R) 56.8%
Joseph W. Shinn (D) 43.2%
Ohio 12 Jacob J. Pugsley Republican 1886 Re-elected Jacob J. Pugsley (R) 50.9%
Lawrence T. Neal (D) 49.1%
Ohio 13 Joseph H. Outhwaite Democratic 1884 Re-elected Joseph H. Outhwaite (D) 52.7%
John B. Neil (R) 47.3%
Ohio 14 Charles P. Wickham Republican 1886 Re-elected Charles P. Wickham (R) 51.5%
David L. Wadsworth (D) 48.5%
Ohio 15 Charles H. Grosvenor Republican 1886 Re-elected Charles H. Grosvenor (R) 53.5%
John P. Spriggs (D) 46.5%
Ohio 16 Beriah Wilkins Democratic 1886 Retired
Democratic hold
James W. Owens (D) 55.2%
Edwin L. Lybarger (R) 44.8%
Ohio 17 Joseph D. Taylor Republican 1886 Re-elected Joseph D. Taylor (R) 56.9%
William Lawrence (D) 43.1%
Ohio 18 William McKinley Republican 1886 Re-elected William McKinley (R) 54.4%
George P. Ikirt (D) 45.6%
Ohio 19 Ezra B. Taylor Republican 1880 (s) Re-elected Ezra B. Taylor (R) 67.5%
Henry Apthorp (D) 32.5%
Ohio 20 George W. Crouse Republican 1886 Retired
Republican Hold
Martin L. Smyser (R) 52.9%
Calvin P. Humphrey (D) 47.1%
Ohio 21 Martin A. Foran Democratic 1882 Retired
Republican gain
Theodore E. Burton (R) 50.8%
Tom L. Johnson (D) 49.2%

South Carolina

District Incumbent Party First
elected
Result Candidates
South Carolina 1 Samuel Dibble Democratic 1882 Re-elected Samuel Dibble (D) 86.7%
S. W. McKinlay (R) 13.1%
Others 0.2%
South Carolina 2 George D. Tillman Democratic 1878 Re-elected George D. Tillman (D) 86.8%
Seymour E. Smith (R) 11.4%
Others 1.8%
South Carolina 3 James S. Cothran Democratic 1886 Re-elected James S. Cothran (D) 99.8%
Others 0.2%
South Carolina 4 William H. Perry Democratic 1884 Re-elected William H. Perry (D) 99.9%
Others 0.1%
South Carolina 5 John J. Hemphill Democratic 1882 Re-elected John J. Hemphill (D) 99.7%
Others 0.3%
South Carolina 6 George W. Dargan Democratic 1882 Re-elected George W. Dargan (D) 95.7%
Others 4.3%
South Carolina 7 William Elliott Democratic 1884 Re-elected William Elliott (D) 54.1%
Thomas E. Miller (R) 45.4%
Others 0.5%

In the 7th district, Elliott was initially declared re-elected, but Miller successfully challenged the election and was seated in his place in September, 1890.



Non-voting members

Montana Territory

District Incumbent This race
Representative Party First elected Results Candidates
Montana Territory at-large Joseph K. Toole Democratic 1884 Incumbent retired.
New member elected.
Republican gain.
gollark: Yep!
gollark: WOW!
gollark: Ooh, 65G? I kind of want that!
gollark: It's new release fever.
gollark: Not that much!

See also

Notes

  1. Three states held early elections. Six new states were admitted during this Congress, holding their elections in 1889 and 1890.
  2. Includes late elections.
  3. There are significant discrepancies between the party counts provided by Martis (pp. 142–43) and Dubin (p. 285) in regards to the 51st Congress, mainly due to the fact that Martis counts the results of many later contested elections (which were generally decided in favor of the challenging Republican candidate, resulting in the unseating of a number of Democratic members). Dubin records 169 Republicans and 161 Democrats on the first day of the 1st session of the 51st Congress; Dubin reports 177 Republicans, 154 Democrats, and one Labor Party member at the start of the 2nd session of the 51st Congress, figures that nearly match Martis' numbers.
  4. After a contested election, Lewis P. Featherstone of the Labor Party was declared the winner of AR-01.
  5. Previous election had 1 Greenback Party Representative.
  6. Elections held early.
  7. Previous election had 1 Independent.
  8. At-large seat eliminated in redistricting.
  9. Previous election had 1 Labor Party representative.

References

  1. Martis, pp. 142–143.
  2. Smith, Joseph P, ed. (1898). History of the Republican Party in Ohio. I. Chicago: the Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 567, 568.
  3. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=300407

Bibliography

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