1988 United States House of Representatives elections

Overall results

409 incumbent members sought reelection, but one was defeated in a primary and six were defeated in the general election for a total of 402 incumbents winning. This was the highest number and percentage of incumbents who won reelection between 1954 and 1992.

The Republicans did not field a candidate in one-fourth of the seats in the Southern United States. This is the last congressional election in which Republicans won a House seat in Hawaii for a full term and the last time they won a seat in Vermont.

Source: Election Statistics – Office of the Clerk

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Retirements

Democrats

1. : Buddy MacKay retired to run for U.S. Senate.
2. : Dan Mica retired to run for U.S. Senate.
3. : Kenneth J. Gray retired.
4. : Edward Boland retired.
5. : Wayne Dowdy retired to run for U.S. Senate.
6. : Peter W. Rodino retired.
7. : Samuel S. Stratton retired.
8. : Ed Jones retired.
9. : Don Bonker retired run for U.S. Senate.
10. : Mike Lowry retired run for U.S. Senate.

Republicans

1. : Robert Badham retired.
2. : Dan Lungren retired to become California State Treasurer.
3. : Connie Mack III retired to run for U.S. Senate.
4. : Trent Lott retired to run for U.S. Senate.
5. : Gene Taylor retired.
6. : Hal Daub retired to run for U.S. Senate.
7. : Judd Gregg retired to run for governor of New Hampshire.
8. : Manuel Lujan Jr. retired.
9. : George C. Wortley retired.
10. : Judd Gregg retired to run for U.S. President.
11. : Del Latta retired.
12. : Beau Boulter retired to run for U.S. Senate.
13. : Jim Jeffords retired to run for U.S. Senate.

Resignations and deaths

Democrats

1. : Bill Boner resigned October 5, 1987, to become Mayor of Nashville.
2. : Dan Daniel Incumbent died January 24, 1988.
3. : James J. Howard died March 25, 1988.

Republicans

1. : Buddy Roemer resigned March 3, 1988, to become Governor of Louisiana.
2. : John Duncan Sr. died June 21, 1988.

Incumbents Defeated

In Primary Elections

Republicans

1. : Ernie Konnyu lost renomination to Tom Campbell, who won the general election.

In General Elections

Democrats

Two Democrats lost re-election to Republicans

1. : Bill Chappell lost re-election to Craig James.
2. : Fernand St Germain lost re-election to Ronald Machtley.

Republicans

4 Republicans lost re-election to Democrats

1. : Pat Swindall lost re-election to Craig James.
2. : Jack Davis lost re-election to George E. Sangmeister.
3. : Joe DioGuardi lost re-election to Nita Lowey.
4. : Mac Sweeney lost re-election to Greg Laughlin.

Open seats that changed parties

Republican seats won by Democrats

Two Republican seats were won by Democrats:

1. : won by Peter Hoagland.
2. : won by Bill Sarpalius.

Democratic seats won by Republicans

One Democratic seat was won by a Republican:

1. : won by Cliff Stearns.

Open seats that parties held

Democratic seats held by Democrats

Democrats held twelve of their open seats

1. : Won by Harry Johnston
2. : Won by Glenn Poshard
3. : Won by Richard Neal
4. : Won by Michael Parker
5. : Won by Frank Pallone
6. : Won by Donald M. Payne
7. : Won by Elliot Engel
8. : Won by Michael McNulty
9. : Won by John S. Tanner
10. : Won by Jolene Unsoeld
11. : Won by Jim McDermott
12. : Won by Eni Faleomavaega

Republican seats held by Republicans

Republicans held thirteen of their open seats

1. : Won by Tom Campbell
2. : Won by Christopher Cox
3. : Won by Dana Rohrabacher
4. : Won by Porter Goss
5. : Won by Larkin I. Smith
6. : Won by Mel Hancock
7. : Won by Chuck Douglas
8. : Won by Steven Schiff
9. : Won by James T. Walsh
10. : Won by Bill Paxon
11. : Won by Paul Gillmor
12. : Won by Jimmy Duncan, who also won the district's special election, see below
13. : Won by Peter Plympton Smith

Special elections

Ordered by election date, then by state/district.

Alabama

Alaska

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Source:

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Louisiana

Maine

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine

Maryland

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri

Montana

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada

New Hampshire

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire

New Jersey

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey

New Mexico

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in New Mexico

New York

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives election in North Dakota

Ohio

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio

Oklahoma

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

South Dakota

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives election in South Dakota

Tennessee

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee

Texas

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas

Utah

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Utah

Vermont

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont

Virginia

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia

Washington

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming

Non-voting delegates

Main article: 1988 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa, 1988 United States House of Representatives election in the District of Columbia, 1988 United States House of Representatives election in Guam, 1988 United States House of Representatives election in Puerto Rico, 1988 United States House of Representatives election in the United States Virgin Islands

|- ! American Samoa at-large | Fofō Iosefa Fiti Sunia | | 1980 | | Incumbent resigned September 6, 1988. New delegate elected. Democratic hold. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |

• Eni Faleomavaega (Democratic) 51.0%
• Tufele Lia (Independent) 49.0% |- ! District of Columbia at-large | Walter Fauntroy | | 1970 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |
• Walter Fauntroy (Democratic) 71.3%
• W. Ron Evans (Republican) 13.4%
• Alvin Frost (Independent) 8.1%
• David Dabney (Independent) 6.1% |- ! Guam at-large | Ben Blaz | | 1986 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |
• Ben Blaz (Republican) 54.7%
• Vicente C. Pangelinan (Democratic) 45.3% |- ! Puerto Rico at-large | Jaime Fuster | | Popular Democratic/ Democratic | 1984 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |
• Jaime Fuster (PPD/Democratic) 49.0%
• Pedro Rosselló (PNP/Democratic) 46.6%
• Luis Pío Sánchez Longo (PIP) 4.5% |- ! U.S. Virgin Islands at-large | Ron de Lugo | | 1972 1978 (retired) 1980 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | {{Plainlist |
• Ron de Lugo (Democratic) 97.4%

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Notes

References

Works cited