1896 United States House of Representatives elections

1896 United States House of Representatives elections
All 357 seats in the United States House of Representatives; 179 seats needed for a majority
Speaker before election; Thomas Reed; Republican	Elected Speaker ; Thomas Reed; Republican

Elections to the United States House of Representatives were held in 1896 for members of the 55th Congress, coinciding with the election of President William McKinley.

In spite of McKinley's victory over William Jennings Bryan, both the Democratic and Populist parties gained seats from McKinley's Republican Party. This is most likely a reaction to the extraordinary Republican gains in 1894, in which many normally Democratic districts switched parties due to the severity of and fallout from the Panic of 1893. Many Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern regions that were dominated by Catholic and working-class voters, switched to Republican in 1894, but returned to the Democratic Party during this election cycle. The Populist Party also made huge gains as Republicans were ousted in Western states. Despite this, the Republicans did maintain a strong majority in the House. Also, several Western Republicans split with the party in 1896, forming the tiny Silver Republican Party faction, which advocated a silver standard.

This election marked the zenith of the Populist Party, which would go on to lose most of its seats in the 1898 elections and thereafter slowly fade from prominence.

Election summaries

↓
style="background:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/color; width:34.73%" \| 124	style="background:Template:Populist Party (United States)/meta/color; width:6.16%" \| 22	style="background:Template:Other/meta/color; width:1.4%" \| 5	style="background:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/color; width:57.70%" \| 206
Democratic	Pop	^[b]	Republican

State	Type	Total seats	Democratic		Populist		Silver		Silver Republican		Independent Republican		Republican
State	Type	Total seats	Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change	Seats	Change
Alabama	District	9	7	2	1	1	0		0		0		1	1
Arkansas	District	6	6		0		0		0		0		0
California	District	7	2	1	2	2	0		0		0		3	3
Colorado	District	2	0		1		0		1	1	0		0	1
Connecticut	District	4	0		0		0		0		0		4
Delaware	At-large	1	1	1	0		0		0		0		0	1
Florida	District	2	2		0		0		0		0		0
Georgia	District	11	11		0		0		0		0		0
Idaho	At-large	1	0		1	1	0		0		0		0	1
Illinois	District	22	5	3	0		0		0		0		17	3
Indiana	District	13	4	4	0		0		0		0		9	4
Iowa	District	11	0		0		0		0		0		11
Kansas	District +at-large	8	0		6	5	0		0		0		2	5
Kentucky	District	11	7	1	0		0		0		0		4	1
Louisiana	District	6	6		0		0		0		0		0
Maine^[c]	District	4	0		0		0		0		0		4
Maryland	District	6	0	3	0		0		0		0		6	3
Massachusetts	District	13	1		0		0		0		0		12
Michigan	District	12	2	2	0		0		0		0		10	2
Minnesota	District	7	0		0		0		0		0		7
Mississippi	District	7	7		0		0		0		0		0
Missouri	District	15	12	7	0		0		0		0		3	7
Montana	At-large	1	0		0		0		1	1	0		0	1
Nebraska	District	6	0		4	3	0		0		0		2	3
Nevada	At-large	1	0		0		1		0		0		0
New Hampshire	District	2	0		0		0		0		0		2
New Jersey	District	8	0		0		0		0		0		8
New York	District	34	5	1	0		0		0		0		29	1
North Carolina	District	9	1	1	5	1	0		0		0		3
North Dakota	At-large	1	0		0		0		0		0		1
Ohio	District	21	6	4	0		0		0		0		15	4
Oregon^[c]	District	2	0		0		0		0		0		2
Pennsylvania	District +2 at-large	30	3	1	0		0		0		1	1	26	2
Rhode Island	District	2	0		0		0		0		0		2
South Carolina	District	7	7	1	0		0		0		0		0	1
South Dakota	At-large	2	0		2	2	0		0		0		0	2
Tennessee	District	10	8	2	0		0		0		0		2	2
Texas	District	13	12		0		0		0		0		1
Utah	At-large	1	1	1	0		0		0		0		0	1
Vermont^[c]	District	2	0		0		0		0		0		2
Virginia	District	10	6	2	0		0		0		0		4	2
Washington^[d]	At-large	2	1	1	0		0		1	1	0		0	2
West Virginia	District	4	0		0		1		3	3	0		0
Wisconsin	District	10	0		0		0		0		0		10
Wyoming	At-large	1	1	1	0		0		0		0		0	1
Total		357	124 34.7%	31	22 6.2%	13	1 0.3%	0	3 0.8%		1 0.3%	1	206 57.7%	48

Popular vote

Democratic			40.99%
Independent			0.53%
Populist			6.86%
Republican			48.77%
Silver			0.05%
Silver Republican			1.02%
Others			1.78%

House seats

Democratic			34.73%
Independent			0.28%
Populist			6.16%
Republican			57.70%
Silver			0.28%
Silver Republican			0.84%

Special elections

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Virginia 5
South Carolina 7	J. William Stokes	Democratic	1894	Incumbent's previous election declared void June 1, 1896 due to electoral fraud. Incumbent re-elected November 3, 1896. Incumbent also elected to the next term, see below.	Y J. William Stokes (Democratic) [data missing]

Early election dates

Three states, with 8 seats between them, held elections early in 1896:

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

Alabama

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Alabama 1	Richard Henry Clarke	Democratic	1888	Incumbent retired to un for Governor of Alabama. New member elected. Democratic hold.	Y George W. Taylor (politician) (Democratic) 70.50% Frank H. Threatt (Republican) 25.38% Emory C. Stearnes (Populist) 3.84%
Alabama 2	Jesse F. Stallings	Democratic	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Jesse F. Stallings (Democratic) 55.94% Thomas H. Clarke (National Democratic^[e]) 25.63% John C. Fonville (Populist) 18.43%
Alabama 3	George Paul Harrison Jr.	Democratic	1894	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic hold.	Y Henry De Lamar Clayton Jr. (Democratic) 52.61% George L. Comer (National Democratic^[e]) 25.94% Emmet C. Jackson (Populist) 21.45%
Alabama 4	William F. Aldrich	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected after initial results indicated loss to Plowman.	Y William F. Aldrich (Republican) 49.75% Thomas S. Plowman (Democratic) 45.59% Edmund H. Dryer (National Democratic^[e]) 4.66%
Alabama 5	Albert Taylor Goodwyn	Populist	1894	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.	Y Willis Brewer (Democratic) 60.85% Albert Taylor Goodwyn (Populist) 39.15%
Alabama 6	John H. Bankhead	Democratic	1886	Incumbent re-elected.	Y John H. Bankhead (Democratic) 55.07% A. S. Van de Graff (National Democratic^[e]) 27.05% George S. Youngblood (Populist) 17.88%
Alabama 7	Milford W. Howard	Populist	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Milford W. Howard (Populist) 35.79% William I. Bullock (Democratic) 32.66% James J. Curtis (Republican) 28.91% George H. Parker (National Democratic^[e]) 2.64%
Alabama 8	Joseph Wheeler	Democratic	1884	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Joseph Wheeler (Democratic) 56.66% Oscar W. Hundley (Republican) 42.13% W. W. Callahan (National Democratic^[e]) 1.21%
Alabama 9	Truman H. Aldrich	Republican	1894	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic gain.	Y Oscar Underwood (Democratic) 62.98% Grattan B. Crowe (Republican) 26.21% Archibald Lawson (National Democratic^[e]) 10.81%

California

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
California 1	John All Barham	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y John All Barham (Republican) 49.66% Fletcher A. Cutler (Democratic) 45.48% George W. Montieth (Populist) 4.17% B. F. Taylor (Prohibition) 0.69%
California 2	Grove L. Johnson	Republican	1894	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.	Y Marion De Vries (Democratic) 55.51% Grove L. Johnson (Republican) 42.28% F. E. Coulter (Prohibition) 2.21%
California 3	Samuel G. Hilborn	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Samuel G. Hilborn (Republican) 54.02% Warren B. English (Democratic) 44.03% John H. Eustice (Socialist Labor) 1.06% William Shafer (Prohibition) 0.89%
California 4	James G. Maguire	Democratic	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y James G. Maguire (Democratic) 60.98% Thomas B. O'Brien (Republican) 34.97% E. T. Kingsley (Socialist Labor) 3.10% Joseph Rowell (Prohibition) 0.96%
California 5	Eugene F. Loud	Republican	1890	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Eugene F. Loud (Republican) 48.58% Joseph P. Kelly (Democratic) 26.35% A. B. Kinne (Populist) 22.16% Henry Daniels (Socialist Labor) 1.90% T. H. Lawson (Prohibition) 1.01%
California 6	James McLachlan	Republican	1892	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Populist gain.	Y Charles A. Barlow (Populist) 48.91% James McLachlan (Republican) 47.57% Henry Clay Needham (Prohibition) 2.42% Job Harriman (Socialist Labor) 1.10%
California 7	William W. Bowers	Republican	1890	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Populist gain.	Y Curtis H. Castle (Populist) 46.72% William W. Bowers (Republican) 46.12% William H. Carlson (Independent) 5.21% James W. Webb (Prohibition) 1.95%

Florida

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Florida 1	Stephen M. Sparkman	Democratic	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Stephen M. Sparkman (Democratic) 77.5% E. K. Nichols (Republican) 14.6% J. Asakiah Williams (Populist) 6.8% J. C. Green (Pr.) 1.1%
Florida 2	Charles Merian Cooper	Democratic	1892	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic hold.	Y Robert Wyche Davis (Democratic) 61.9% Joseph N. Stripling (Republican) 28.6% Daniel G. Ambler (National Democratic^[e]) 5.0% William R. Peterson (Populist) 3.7% M. E. Spencer (Prohibition) 0.8%

Maine

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Maine 1	Thomas Brackett Reed	Republican	1876	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Thomas Brackett Reed (Republican) 66.90% Edward W. Staples (Democratic) 30.42% Aaron Clark (Prohibition) 2.09% James E. Campion (Populist) 0.59%
Maine 2	Nelson Dingley Jr.	Republican	1880	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Nelson Dingley Jr. (Republican) 69.21% Arwood Levensaler (Democratic) 26.01% Charles E. Allen (Populist) 3.38% Edward W. Ogier (Prohibition) 1.41%
Maine 3	Seth L. Milliken	Republican	1882	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Seth L. Milliken (Republican) 68.20% Melvin S. Holway (Democratic) 26.18% Bradford F. Lancaster (Populist) 3.82% William S. Thompson (Prohibition) 1.80%
Maine 4	Charles A. Boutelle	Republican	1882	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Charles A. Boutelle (Republican) 65.96% Andrew J. Chase (Democratic) 28.39% George M. Park (Prohibition) 2.89% Oliver D. Chapman (Populist) 2.76%

Ohio

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates^[2] ^[3]
Ohio 1	Charles Phelps Taft	Republican	1894	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold.	Y William B. Shattuc (Republican) 60.8% Thomas J. Donnelly (Democratic) 39.2%
Ohio 2	Jacob H. Bromwell	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Jacob H. Bromwell (Republican) 59.0% David S. Oliver (Democratic) 41.0%
Ohio 3	Paul J. Sorg	Democratic	1894	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic hold.	Y John L. Brenner (Democratic) 49.8% Robert M. Nevin (Republican) 49.4% Joel S. Steward (Populist) 0.6% Samuel N. Stubbs (Nat. P.) 0.2%
Ohio 4	Fernando C. Layton	Democratic	1890	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Democratic hold.	Y George A. Marshall (Democratic) 59.5% John P. Maclean (Republican) 38.6% L.M. Kramer (Populist) 1.1% George W. Mace (Nat. P.) 0.7%
Ohio 5	Francis B. De Witt	Republican	1894	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.	Y David Meekison (Democratic) 56.0% Francis B. De Witt (Republican) 42.5% George N. Rice (Populist) 1.5%
Ohio 6	George W. Hulick	Republican	1892	Incumbent lost renomination. New member elected. Republican hold.	Y Seth W. Brown (Republican) 53.8% Harry W. Paxton (Democratic) 45.4% Frank S. Delo (Populist) 0.7%
Ohio 7	George W. Wilson	Republican	1892	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold.	Y Walter L. Weaver (Republican) 52.5% Francis M. Hunt (Democratic) 46.8% R.S. Thomson (Nat. P.) 0.8%
Ohio 8	Luther M. Strong	Republican	1892	Incumbent lost renomination. New member elected. Republican hold.	Y Archibald Lybrand (Republican) 53.8% McEldin Dun (Democratic) 46.2%
Ohio 9	James H. Southard	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y James H. Southard (Republican) 53.5% Stephen Brophy (Democratic) 46.5%
Ohio 10	Lucien J. Fenton	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Lucien J. Fenton (Republican) 57.9% Timothy S. Hogan (Democratic) 42.1% Scattering <0.1%
Ohio 11	Charles H. Grosvenor	Republican	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Charles H. Grosvenor (Republican) 54.8% William E. Finck Jr. (Democratic) 44.7% Lawrence C. Crippen (Populist) 0.4%
Ohio 12	David K. Watson	Republican	1894	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.	Y John J. Lentz (Democratic) 49.73% David K. Watson (Republican) 49.63% Jacob B. Turner (Populist) 0.40% L.J. Finley (Populist) 0.25%
Ohio 13	Stephen Ross Harris	Republican	1894	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.	Y James A. Norton (Democratic) 54.4% Stephen Ross Harris (Republican) 44.3% John H. Rhodes (Populist) 0.9% John W. Belser (Populist) 0.5%
Ohio 14	Winfield S. Kerr	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Winfield S. Kerr (Republican) 52.0% John B. Coffinberry (Democratic) 47.6% Robert F. Mosher (Nat'l Party) 0.4%
Ohio 15	H. Clay Van Voorhis	Republican	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y H. Clay Van Voorhis (Republican) 52.5% James B. Tannehill (Democratic) 46.2% T.H. Padan (Populist) 0.8% Illion E. Moore (Populist) 0.5%
Ohio 16	Lorenzo Danford	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Lorenzo Danford (Republican) 53.8% Henry H. McFadden (Democratic) 46.2%
Ohio 17	Addison S. McClure	Republican	1894	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.	Y John A. McDowell (Democratic) 54.7% Addison S. McClure (Republican) 44.3% I.N. Kieffer (Populist) 0.8% Homer E. Cole (Nat. P.) 0.2% Scattering 0.1%
Ohio 18	Robert W. Tayler	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Robert W. Tayler (Republican) 54.1% Isaac R. Sherwood (Democratic) 45.0% James L. Swan (Populist) 0.9% Scattering <0.1%
Ohio 19	Stephen A. Northway	Republican	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Stephen A. Northway (Republican) 60.3% William T. Sawyer (Democratic) 39.1% Solon C. Thayer (Populist) 0.6% Scattering <0.1%
Ohio 20	Clifton B. Beach	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Clifton B. Beach (Republican) 52.78% A. T. Van Tassel (Democratic) 46.01% J.J. Harrison (Populist) 0.54% Paul Dinger (Socialist Labor) 0.51% William H. Watkins (Nat. Party) 0.16%
Ohio 21	Theodore E. Burton	Republican	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Theodore E. Burton (Republican) 55.24% L. A. Russell (Democratic) 43.34% Louis B. Tuckerman (Populist) 0.49% Walter Gillet (Socialist Labor) 0.44% E. Jay Pinney (Populist) 0.38% Thomas P. McDonough (Nat. Party) 0.11%

Oregon

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Oregon 1	Binger Hermann	Republican	1892	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican hold.	Y Thomas H. Tongue (Republican) 40.39% W. S. Vandenberg (Populist) 40.26% Jefferson Myers (Democratic) 16.52% N. C. Christensen (Prohibition) 2.83%
Oregon 2	William R. Ellis	Republican	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y William R. Ellis (Republican) 30.38% Martin Quinn (Populist) 29.47% H. H. Northrup (Independent) 21.20% A. S. Bennett (Democratic) 17.09% F. McKercher (Prohibition) 1.87%

South Carolina

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
South Carolina 1	George W. Murray	Republican	1892	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Democratic gain.	Y William Elliott (Democratic) 63.7% George W. Murray (Reorganized Republican) 33.9% W. Cecil Cohen (Republican) 2.4%
South Carolina 2	W. Jasper Talbert	Democratic	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y W. Jasper Talbert (Democratic) 92.4% B. P. Chatfield (Republican) 7.3% Others 0.3%
South Carolina 3	Asbury Latimer	Democratic	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Asbury Latimer (Democratic) 92.0% A. C. Merreck (Republican) 6.2% Clarence Gray (Reorganized Republican) 1.8%
South Carolina 4	Stanyarne Wilson	Democratic	1894	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Stanyarne Wilson (Democratic) 92.2% P. S. Suber (Republican) 4.2% D. T. Bounds (Reorganized Republican) 3.6%
South Carolina 5	Thomas J. Strait	Democratic	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y Thomas J. Strait (Democratic) 91.0% John F. Jones (Republican) 9.0%
South Carolina 6	John L. McLaurin	Democratic	1892	Incumbent re-elected.	Y John L. McLaurin (Democratic) 87.7% J. E. Wilson (Republican) 7.9% George Henry McKie 4.3% Others 0.1%
South Carolina 7	J. William Stokes	Democratic	1894	Incumbent's previous election declared void June 1, 1896 due to electoral fraud. Incumbent re-elected. Incumbent also elected to finish the term.	Y J. William Stokes (Democratic) 85.6% T. B. Johnson (Republican) 14.2% D. A. Perrin (Independent Republican) 0.2%

South Dakota

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
South Dakota at-large 2 seats on a general ticket	John Pickler	Republican	1889 (New state)	Incumbent retired. New member elected. Populist gain.	Y John Edward Kelley (Populist) 24.9% Y Freeman Knowles (Populist) 24.9% Robert J. Gamble (Republican) 24.8% Coe I. Crawford (Republican) 24.6% K. Lewis (Prohibition) 0.4% M.D. Alexander (Prohibition) 0.4%
South Dakota at-large 2 seats on a general ticket	Robert J. Gamble	Republican	1894	Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Populist gain.

Vermont

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Member	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Vermont 1	H. Henry Powers	Republican	1890	Incumbent re-elected.	Y H. Henry Powers (Republican) 76.45% Peter F. McManus (Democratic) 22.49% Andrew S. Bowen (Populist) 1.06%
Vermont 2	William W. Grout	Republican	1884	Incumbent re-elected.	Y William W. Grout (Republican) 80.41% Henry E. Fitzgerald (Democratic) 18.95% Thomas J. Aldrich (Populist) 0.64%

Non-voting delegates

Oklahoma Territory

District	Incumbent			This race
District	Delegate	Party	First elected	Results	Candidates
Oklahoma Territory at-large	Dennis T. Flynn	Republican	1892	Incumbent lost re-election. New delegate elected. Silver gain.	Y James Y. Callahan (Silver) 51.09% Dennis T. Flynn (Republican) 48.91%^[4]

Notes

^ Three states held early elections between June 1 and September 14.
^ 1 Silver, 3 Silver Republican, and 1 Independent Republican
^ ^a ^b ^c Elections held early.
^ While Dubin (p. 320) indicates the two representatives elected to serve Washington state, J. Hamilton Lewis and William C. Jones, were Populists, most other sources (e.g. Martis, pp. 150–151, etc.) indicate that they were elected as a Democrat and a Silver Republican, respectively.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "National Democratic" indicated "Gold Democratic"

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Martis, pp. 150–151.
^ Smith, Joseph P, ed. (1898). History of the Republican Party in Ohio. Vol. I. Chicago: the Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 694, 695.
^ Ohio Election Results 1896. Norwalk, Ohio: The Laning Printing Company. 1897. pp. 33–39.
^ "Our Campaigns - OK Territorial Delegate Race - Nov 03, 1896". www.ourcampaigns.com.

Bibliography

Dubin, Michael J. (March 1, 1998). United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997: The Official Results of the Elections of the 1st Through 105th Congresses. McFarland and Company. ISBN 978-0786402830.
Martis, Kenneth C. (January 1, 1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989. Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0029201701.
Moore, John L., ed. (1994). Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections (Third ed.). Congressional Quarterly Inc. ISBN 978-0871879967.
"Party Divisions of the House of Representatives* 1789–Present". Office of the Historian, House of United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 21, 2015.

External links

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

[1] Three states held early elections between June 1 and September 14.

[3] 1 Silver, 3 Silver Republican, and 1 Independent Republican

[early-4] Elections held early.

[Wash-1896-5] While Dubin (p. 320) indicates the two representatives elected to serve Washington state, J. Hamilton Lewis and William C. Jones, were Populists, most other sources (e.g. Martis, pp. 150–151, etc.) indicate that they were elected as a Democrat and a Silver Republican, respectively.

[National_Democratic-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "National Democratic" indicated "Gold Democratic"

[Martis-2] Martis, pp. 150–151.

[7] Smith, Joseph P, ed. (1898). History of the Republican Party in Ohio. Vol. I. Chicago: the Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 694, 695.

[8] Ohio Election Results 1896. Norwalk, Ohio: The Laning Printing Company. 1897. pp. 33–39.

[9] "Our Campaigns - OK Territorial Delegate Race - Nov 03, 1896". www.ourcampaigns.com.

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