House elections for the 102nd U.S. Congress
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.
As of 2024[update] , this was the last time a party held 60 percent of the seats in the House.
Election summaries
↓
267
1
167
Democratic
[a]
Republican
Popular vote and seats total by states
Party
Seats
Change
Share
Vote percentage
Popular vote
Democratic Party
267
7
61.4%
52.1%
32,463,372
Republican Party
167
8
38.4%
44.3%
27,596,256
Libertarian Party
0
0.0%
0.6%
396,131
Independent
1
1
0.2%
0.6%
367,603
Peace and Freedom Party
0
0.0%
0.2%
127,924
Conservative Party
0
0.0%
0.1%
105,294
Populist Party
0
0.0%
0.1%
51,894
Right to Life Party
0
0.0%
0.1%
50,769
Solidarity Party
0
0.0%
0.1%
34,636
Others
0
0.0%
1.9%
1,160,974
Totals
435
100.0%
100.0%
62,354,853
Source: Election Statistics – Office of the Clerk
Popular vote
Democratic
52.06%
Republican
44.26%
Libertarian
0.64%
Others
3.04%
House seats
Democratic
61.38%
Republican
38.39%
Independent
0.23%
House seats by party holding plurality in state 80+% Republican
80+% Democratic
60+ to 80% Republican
60+ to 80% Democratic
Up to 60% Republican
Up to 60% Democratic
100% Independent
Net gains 6+ Democratic gain
6+ Republican gain
3-5 Democratic gain
3-5 Republican gain
1-2 Democratic gain
1-2 Republican gain
1 Independent gain
no net change
Districts shaded according to winners share of vote.
Retirements
There were a total of 27 Representatives and one delegate not seeking re-election: 11 Democrats and 17 Republicans.
Democrats
Alabama 5 : Ronnie Flippo retired to run for Governor of Alabama .
California 29 : Augustus Hawkins retired.
Connecticut 3 : Bruce Morrison retired to run for Governor of Connecticut .
District of Columbia at-large : Walter Fauntroy retired to run for mayor of Washington D.C .
Florida 11 : Bill Nelson retired to run for Governor of Florida .
Louisiana 2 : Lindy Boggs retired.
Maine 1 : Joseph E. Brennan retired to run for Governor of Maine .
Michigan 13 : George Crockett Jr. retired.
Ohio 1 : Tom Luken retired
Oklahoma 3 : Wes Watkins retired to run for Governor of Oklahoma .
Texas 11 : Marvin Leath retired.
Republicans
Arkansas 2 : Tommy F. Robinson retired to run for Governor of Arkansas .
California 14 : Norman D. Shumway retired.
Colorado 4 : Hank Brown retired to run for U.S. Senate .
Connecticut 5 : John G. Rowland retired to run for Governor of Connecticut .
Hawaii 1 : Pat Saiki retired to run for U.S. Senate .
Idaho 1 : Larry Craig retired to run for U.S. Senate .
Illinois 16 : Lynn Morley Martin retired to run for U.S. Senate .
Iowa 2 : Tom Tauke retired to run for U.S. Senate .
Kansas 5 : Bob Whittaker retired.
Michigan 10 : Bill Schuette retired to run for U.S. Senate .
Minnesota 3 : Bill Frenzel retired.
Nebraska 3 : Virginia D. Smith retired.
New Hampshire 1 : Bob Smith retired to run for U.S. Senate .
New Jersey 12 : Jim Courter retired
Ohio 7 : Mike DeWine retired to run for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio .
Rhode Island 2 : Claudine Schneider retired to run for U.S. Senate .
Utah 3 : 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
New York 18 : Robert Garcia resigned January 7, 1990 following trial over links to involvement in Wedtech scandal .
New Jersey 1 : James Florio resigned January 16, 1990, to become Governor of New Jersey .
Hawaii 2 : Daniel Akaka resigned January 16, 1990, to become a U.S. Senator .
Republican
New York 14 : Guy Molinari Incumbent resigned December 31, 1989.
Incumbents defeated
In primary elections
One Member of Congress lost renomination.
Republican
Ohio 8 : Buz Lukens lost renomination to John Boehner , who won the general election.
In general elections
Democrats
Six Democrats lost re-election to Republicans
California 1 : Douglas H. Bosco (first elected in 1982) lost re-election to Frank Riggs
California 44 : Jim Bates (first elected in 1982) lost re-election to Duke Cunningham
Maryland 1 : Roy Dyson (first elected in 1980) lost re-election to Wayne Gilchrest
North Carolina 11 : James M. Clarke (first elected in 1982, and then re-elected in 1986 after losing in 1984) lost re-election to Charles H. Taylor
Pennsylvania 18 : Doug Walgren (first elected in 1976) lost re-election to Rick Santorum
Wisconsin 2 : Robert Kastenmeier (first elected in 1958) lost re-election to Scott Klug
Republicans
Eight Republicans lost re-election to Democrats
California 17 : Chip Pashayan (first elected in 1978) lost re-election to Cal Dooley
Florida 2 : James W. Grant (first elected in 1986) lost re-election to Pete Peterson
Indiana 3 : John P. Hiler (first elected in 1980) lost re-election to Tim Roemer
Minnesota 7 : Arlan Stangeland (first elected in 1977) lost re-election to Collin Peterson
Missouri 2 : Jack Buechner (first elected in 1986) lost re-election to Joan Kelly Horn
New Hampshire 2 : Charles Douglas III (first elected in 1988) lost re-election to Richard Swett
Oregon 5 : Denny Smith (first elected in 1980) lost re-election to Michael J. Kopetski
Virginia 8 : Stanford Parris (first elected in 1972, and then re-elected in 1980 after losing in 1974) lost re-election Jim Moran
One Republican lost re-election to an Independent
Vermont at-large : Peter Plympton Smith (first elected in 1988) lost re-election to Bernie Sanders
Open seats that changed parties
Republican seats won by Democrats
Six Republican seats were won by Democrats
Arkansas 2 : Won by Ray Thornton
Hawaii 1 : Won by Neil Abercrombie
Idaho 1 : Won by Larry LaRocco
Illinois 16 : Won by John W. Cox Jr.
Rhode Island 2 : Won by Jack Reed
Utah 3 : Won by Bill Orton
Democratic seats won by Republicans
There were no Democratic seats won by Republicans
Open seats that parties held
Special elections
Elections are listed by date and district.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District
Incumbent
This race
Representative
Party
First elected
Results
Candidates
Delaware at-large
Tom Carper
Democratic
1982
Incumbent re-elected.
▌ Y Tom Carper (Democratic) 65.5%
▌ Ralph O. Williams (Republican) 32.7%
▌ Richard A. Cohen (Libertarian) 1.8%
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
District
Incumbent
This race
Representative
Party
First elected
Results
Candidates
Hawaii 1
Pat Saiki
Republican
1986
Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator . New member elected.Democratic gain .
▌ Y Neil Abercrombie (Democratic) 60.0%
▌ Mike Liu (Republican) 38.7%
▌ Roger Taylor (Libertarian) 1.3%
Hawaii 2
Daniel Akaka
Democratic
1976
Incumbent resigned May 15, 1990 to become U.S. senator . New member elected. Democratic hold. Winner also elected to finish the current term.
▌ Y Patsy Mink (Democratic) 66.3%
▌ Andy Poepoe (Republican) 30.6%
▌ Lloyd Mallan (Libertarian) 3.1%
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
District
Incumbent
This race
Representative
Party
First elected
Results
Candidates
Utah 1
Jim Hansen
Republican
1980
Incumbent re-elected.
▌ Y Jim Hansen (Republican) 52.2%
▌ Kenley W. Brunsdale (Democratic) 43.8%
▌ Reva Marx Wadsworth (American) 4.1%
Utah 2
Wayne Owens
Democratic
1972 1974 (retired) 1986
Incumbent re-elected.
▌ Y Wayne Owens (Democratic) 57.6%
▌ Genevieve Atwood (Republican) 39.8%
▌ Lawrence Rey Topham (Independent) 2.3%
▌ Eleanor Garcia (Socialist Workers) 0.3%
Utah 3
Howard C. Nielson
Republican
1982
Incumbent retired. New member elected.Democratic gain .
▌ Y Bill Orton (Democratic) 58.3%
▌ Karl Snow (Republican) 36.4%
▌ Robert J. Smith (American) 4.8%
▌ Anthony Dutrow (Socialist Workers) 0.4%
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Non-voting delegates
See also
Notes
^ 1 Independent was elected.
^ Stump was originally elected as a Democrat. He switched parties in 1982 and was re-elected as such that year.
References
Elections spanning two years (through 1879) Elections held in a single year (starting 1880)
Regulars and even-year specials Odd-year specials
Elections by state Seat ratings Speaker elections Summaries