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1990 United States House of Representatives elections

House elections for the 102nd U.S. Congress

1990 United States House of Representatives elections

← 1988 November 6, 1990 1992 →
All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives 218 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Tom Foley Bob Michel Party Democratic Republican Leader since June 6, 1989 January 3, 1981 Leader's seat Washington 5th Illinois 18th Last election 260 seats 175 seats Seats won 267 167 Seat change 7 8 Popular vote 32,463,372 27,596,256 Percentage 52.1% 44.3% Swing 1.2% 1.3%   Third party   Party Independent Last election 0 seats Seats won 1 Seat change 1 Popular vote 367,603 Percentage 0.6%
Results:      Democratic hold      Democratic gain      Republican hold      Republican gain      Independent gain
Speaker before election Tom Foley Democratic Elected Speaker Tom Foley Democratic

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[edit]

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

Retirements[edit]

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

Democrats[edit]

1. Alabama 5: Ronnie Flippo retired to run for Governor of Alabama.
2. California 29: Augustus Hawkins retired.
3. Connecticut 3: Bruce Morrison retired to run for Governor of Connecticut.
4. District of Columbia at-large: Walter Fauntroy retired to run for mayor of Washington D.C.
5. Florida 11: Bill Nelson retired to run for Governor of Florida.
6. Louisiana 2: Lindy Boggs retired.
7. Maine 1: Joseph E. Brennan retired to run for Governor of Maine.
8. Michigan 13: George Crockett Jr. retired.
9. Ohio 1: Tom Luken retired
10. Oklahoma 3: Wes Watkins retired to run for Governor of Oklahoma.
11. Texas 11: Marvin Leath retired.

Republicans[edit]

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

Resignations[edit]

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

Democrats[edit]

1. New York 18: Robert Garcia resigned January 7, 1990 following trial over links to involvement in Wedtech scandal.
2. New Jersey 1: James Florio resigned January 16, 1990, to become Governor of New Jersey.
3. Hawaii 2: Daniel Akaka resigned January 16, 1990, to become a U.S. Senator.

Republican[edit]

1. New York 14: Guy Molinari Incumbent resigned December 31, 1989.

Incumbents defeated[edit]

In primary elections[edit]

One Member of Congress lost renomination.

Republican[edit]

1. Ohio 8: Buz Lukens lost renomination to John Boehner, who won the general election.

In general elections[edit]

Democrats[edit]

Six Democrats lost re-election to Republicans

1. California 1: Douglas H. Bosco (first elected in 1982) lost re-election to Frank Riggs
2. California 44: Jim Bates (first elected in 1982) lost re-election to Duke Cunningham
3. Maryland 1: Roy Dyson (first elected in 1980) lost re-election to Wayne Gilchrest
4. 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
5. Pennsylvania 18: Doug Walgren (first elected in 1976) lost re-election to Rick Santorum
6. Wisconsin 2: Robert Kastenmeier (first elected in 1958) lost re-election to Scott Klug

Republicans[edit]

Eight Republicans lost re-election to Democrats

1. California 17: Chip Pashayan (first elected in 1978) lost re-election to Cal Dooley
2. Florida 2: James W. Grant (first elected in 1986) lost re-election to Pete Peterson
3. Indiana 3: John P. Hiler (first elected in 1980) lost re-election to Tim Roemer
4. Minnesota 7: Arlan Stangeland (first elected in 1977) lost re-election to Collin Peterson
5. Missouri 2: Jack Buechner (first elected in 1986) lost re-election to Joan Kelly Horn
6. New Hampshire 2: Charles Douglas III (first elected in 1988) lost re-election to Richard Swett
7. Oregon 5: Denny Smith (first elected in 1980) lost re-election to Michael J. Kopetski
8. 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

1. Vermont at-large: Peter Plympton Smith (first elected in 1988) lost re-election to Bernie Sanders

Open seats that changed parties[edit]

Republican seats won by Democrats[edit]

Six Republican seats were won by Democrats

1. Arkansas 2: Won by Ray Thornton
2. Hawaii 1: Won by Neil Abercrombie
3. Idaho 1: Won by Larry LaRocco
4. Illinois 16: Won by John W. Cox Jr.
5. Rhode Island 2: Won by Jack Reed
6. Utah 3: Won by Bill Orton

Democratic seats won by Republicans[edit]

There were no Democratic seats won by Republicans

Open seats that parties held[edit]

Special elections[edit]

Elections are listed by date and district.

Alabama[edit]

Alaska[edit]

Arizona[edit]

Arkansas[edit]

California[edit]

Colorado[edit]

Connecticut[edit]

Delaware[edit]

Florida[edit]

Georgia[edit]

Hawaii[edit]

Idaho[edit]