The 1886 United States House of Representatives elections were held for the most part on November 2, 1886, with three states holding theirs early between June and September. They occurred in the middle of President Grover Cleveland's first term. Elections were held for 325 seats of the United States House of Representatives, representing 38 states, to serve in the 50th United States Congress. Special elections were also held throughout the year.
As in many midterm elections, the President's party lost seats to the opposition, in this case, Democrats lost seats to Republicans, although a narrow majority was retained. Many of these Republican pickups were in the industrializing Midwest states, where the debate over tariffs, which were advocated by Republicans to protect domestic industry but opposed by Democrats to allow for free agricultural trade, led to political change. The small Labor Party, supported by industrial workers, gained one seat each in Virginia and Wisconsin, while the Greenback Party maintained its one seat in Iowa (James B. Weaver). One Independent was also elected in North Carolina.
Election summaries
{| style="width:70%; text-align:center"
|+ ↓
|- style="color:white"
| style="background:; width:51.38%" | 167
| style="background:; width:1.88%" | 6
| style="background:; width:46.77%" | 152
|-
| <span style="color:">Democratic</span>
|
| <span style="color:">Republican</span>
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|- valign=bottom
! rowspan=2|State
! rowspan=2|Type
! rowspan=2|Total<br/>seats
! colspan=2 | Democratic
! colspan=2 | Republican
! colspan=2|Others
|-
! | Seats
! | Change
! | Seats
! | Change
! Seats
! Change
|-
! Alabama
| District
| 8
| | 8
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Arkansas
| District
| 5
| | 5
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! California
| District
| 6
| | 2
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 4
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Colorado
| At-large
| 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Connecticut
| District
| 4
| | 2
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 2
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Delaware
| At-large
| 1
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Florida
| District
| 2
| | 2
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Georgia
| District
| 10
| | 10
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Illinois
| District
| 20
| | 6
| data-sort-value=-4 | 4
| | 14
| data-sort-value=4 | 4
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Indiana
| District
| 13
| | 6
| data-sort-value=-3 | 3
| | 7
| data-sort-value=3 | 3
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Iowa
| District
| 11
| | 1
| data-sort-value=-2 | 2
| | 9
| data-sort-value=2 | 2
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Kansas
| District
| 7
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 7
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Kentucky
| District
| 11
| | 8
| data-sort-value=-2 | 2
| | 3
| data-sort-value=2 | 2
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Louisiana
| District
| 6
| | 6
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Maine
| District
| 4
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 4
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Maryland
| District
| 6
| | 5
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Massachusetts
| District
| 12
| | 4
| data-sort-value=2 | 2
| | 8
| data-sort-value=-2 | 2
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Michigan
| District
| 11
| | 5
| data-sort-value=-2 | 2
| | 6
| data-sort-value=2 | 2
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Minnesota
| District
| 5
| | 3
| data-sort-value=3 | 3
| | 2
| data-sort-value=-3 | 3
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Mississippi
| District
| 7
| | 7
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Missouri
| District
| 14
| | 12
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 2
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Nebraska
| District
| 3
| | 1
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 2
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Nevada
| At-large
| 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! New Hampshire
| District
| 2
| | 1
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 1
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! New Jersey
| District
| 7
| | 2
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 5
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! New York
| District
| 34
| | 16
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 18
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! North Carolina
| District
| 9
| | 7
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! Ohio
| District
| 21
| | 6
| data-sort-value=-5 | 5
| | 15
| data-sort-value=5 | 5
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Oregon
| At-large
| 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Pennsylvania
| District<br/>+ at-large
| 28
| | 8
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 20
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Rhode Island
| District
| 2
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 2
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! South Carolina
| District
| 7
| | 7
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 0
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Tennessee
| District
| 10
| | 8
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
| | 2
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Texas
| District
| 11
| | 11
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Vermont
| District
| 2
| | 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 2
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Virginia
| District
| 10
| | 3
| data-sort-value=-5 | 5
| | 6
| data-sort-value=5 | 5
| | 1
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! West Virginia
| District
| 4
| | 3
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=0 |
| 0
| data-sort-value=0 |
|-
! Wisconsin
| District
| 9
| | 1
| data-sort-value=-1 | 1
| | 7
| data-sort-value=0 |
| | 1
| data-sort-value=1 | 1
|-
! colspan=2 | Total
! 325
! | 167<br/>
! data-sort-value=-16 | 16
! | 154<br/>
! | 13
! 4<br/>
! 3
|}
There were 2 Labor and 1 Independent members elected, and 1 Greenback member re-elected. The previous election saw just the Greenback elected.
{|
|- valign="top"
| [[File:50 us house membership.png|thumb|450px|
{| width=100%
! colspan=2 align=center | House seats by party holding plurality in state
|-
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|-
|
|
|-
|
|
|} ]]
| [[File:50 us house changes.png|thumb|450px|
{| width=100%
! colspan=3 align=center | Net gain in party representation
|-
|
|
|
|-
|
|
|
|-
|
|
|
|-
| colspan=3 align=center |
|-
| colspan=3 align=center |
|
|} ]]
|}
Special elections
|-
!
| Lewis Beach
| | Democratic
| 1880
| | Incumbent died August 10, 1886.<br/>New member <!--elected-->elected November 2, 1886.<br/>Democratic hold.<br/>Winner also elected to the next term; see below.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Joseph Rankin
| | Democratic
| 1882
| | Incumbent died January 24, 1886.<br/>New member elected February 23, 1886.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|}
Election dates
In all the states except three, elections were held November 2, 1886. Those three states, with 7 seats among them, held elections:
- June 7, 1886: Oregon
- September 7, 1886: Vermont
- September 10, 1886: Maine
Alabama
|-
!
| James T. Jones
| | Democratic
| 1883
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Hilary A. Herbert
| | Democratic
| 1876
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William C. Oates
| | Democratic
| 1880
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Alexander C. Davidson
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Thomas William Sadler
| | Democratic
| 1884
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John Mason Martin
| | Democratic
| 1884
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William H. Forney
| | Democratic
| 1874
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Joseph Wheeler
| | Democratic
| 1880
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Arkansas
|-
!
| Poindexter Dunn
|
| 1878
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Clifton R. Breckinridge
|
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Thomas C. McRae
|
| 1885 <small>(special)</small>
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John H. Rogers
|
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Samuel W. Peel
|
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Arizona Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
California
|-
!
| Barclay Henley
| | Democratic
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold
| nowrap |
|-
!
| James A. Louttit
| | Republican
| 1884
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Joseph McKenna
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William W. Morrow
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Charles N. Felton
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Henry Markham
| | Republican
| 1884
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican hold
| nowrap |
|}
Colorado
|-
!
| George G. Symes
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
|-
!
| John R. Buck
|
| 1884
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Charles L. Mitchell
|
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John T. Wait
|
| 1876
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Edward W. Seymour
|
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|}
Dakota Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Delaware
|-
!
| Charles B. Lore
| | Democratic
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|}
|-
!
| Nathaniel B. Eldredge
|
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| James O'Donnell
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Edwin B. Winans
| | Democratic
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Ezra C. Carleton
| | Democratic
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Byron M. Cutcheon
| | Republican
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Milo White
|
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| James Wakefield
|
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Horace B. Strait
|
| 1880
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John Gilfillan
|
| 1884
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Knute Nelson
|
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Mississippi
|-
!
| John M. Allen
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| James B. Morgan
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Thomas C. Catchings
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Frederick G. Barry
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Otho R. Singleton
| | Democratic
| 1874
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Henry S. Van Eaton
| | Democratic
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Ethelbert Barksdale
| | Democratic
| 1882
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|}
Missouri
|-
!
| William H. Hatch
| | Democratic
| 1878
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John B. Hale
| | Democratic
| 1884
| | Incumbent lost renomination and lost re-election as an Independent.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Alexander M. Dockery
| | Democratic
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| James N. Burnes
| | Democratic
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William Warner
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John T. Heard
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John E. Hutton
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John J. O'Neill
| | Democratic
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John Milton Glover
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Martin L. Clardy
| | Democratic
| 1878
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Richard P. Bland
| | Democratic
| 1872
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William J. Stone
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William H. Wade
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William Dawson
| | Democratic
| 1884
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|}
|-
!
| James Laird
| | Republican
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| George W. E. Dorsey
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Nevada
|-
!
| William Woodburn
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
|-
!
| Leonidas C. Houk
| | Republican
| 1878
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John R. Neal
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Benton McMillin
| | Democratic
| 1878
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| James D. Richardson
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Andrew J. Caldwell
| | Democratic
| 1882
| |Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John G. Ballentine
| | Democratic
| 1882
| |Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John M. Taylor
| | Democratic
| 1882
| |Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Presley T. Glass
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Zachary Taylor
| | Republican
| 1884
| |Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain.
|
|}
Texas
|-
!
| Olin Wellborn
| | Democratic
| 1878
| |Incumbent lost renomination.<br>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|}
Utah Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Vermont
|-
!
| John W. Stewart
|
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William W. Grout
|
| 1880<br/>1882 <small>(lost)</small><br/>1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Virginia
|-
!
| Thomas Croxton
|
| 1884
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Harry Libbey
|
| 1882
| | Incumbent retired.<br>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| George D. Wise
|
| 1880
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| James Dennis Brady
|
| 1884
| | Incumbent retired.<br>Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| George Cabell
|
| 1874
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John W. Daniel
|
| 1884
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Labor gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Charles T. O'Ferrall
|
| 1882 <small>(contest)</small>
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| John S. Barbour Jr.
|
| 1880
| | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Connally Findlay Trigg
|
| 1884
| | Incumbent retired.<br>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| J. Randolph Tucker
|
| 1874
| | Incumbent retired.<br>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|}
Washington Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
West Virginia
|-
!
| Nathan Goff Jr.
| | Republican
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William L. Wilson
| | Democratic
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Charles P. Snyder
| | Democratic
| 1883 (special)
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Eustace Gibson
| | Democratic
| 1882
| | Incumbent lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold.
| nowrap |
|}
Wisconsin
<!---->
Wisconsin elected nine members of congress on Election Day, November 2, 1886.
|-
!
| Lucien B. Caswell
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Edward S. Bragg
| | Democratic
| 1884
| | Incumbent lost re-nomination.<br />Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Robert M. La Follette
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Isaac W. Van Schaick
| | Republican
| 1884
| | Incumbent declined re-nomination.<br/>Union Labor gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Thomas R. Hudd
| | Democratic
| 1886 <small>(special)</small>
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Richard W. Guenther
| | Republican
| 1880
| | Incumbent lost re-nomination.<br />Republican hold.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Ormsby B. Thomas
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| William T. Price
| | Republican
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Isaac Stephenson
| | Republican
| 1882
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
Wyoming Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Non-voting members
|-
!
|-
!
|-
!
| John Hailey
| | Democratic
| 1884
| | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Republican gain.
| nowrap |
|-
!
| Joseph Toole
| | Democratic
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|-
!
|-
!
|-
!
|-
!
| Joseph M. Carey
| | Republican
| 1884
| Incumbent re-elected.
| nowrap |
|}
See also
- 1886 United States elections
- 1886–87 United States Senate elections
- 49th United States Congress
- 50th United States Congress
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links
- Office of the Historian (Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)