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.

, this is the last time any party won at least 260 House seats, or 60 percent of the chamber's seats. It is also the last time a president's party successfully defended an open House seat that the opposition party won in the previous presidential election, according to Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball; in this case, the Republicans defended Iowa's 2nd congressional district.

Election summaries 407 incumbent members sought reelection, but one was defeated in a primary and 15 were defeated in the general election for a total of 391 incumbents winning.

+ ↓ 267 1 167 Democratic Republican

Party Seats Change Share Votepercentage Popularvote 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

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

Democrats : Ronnie Flippo retired to run for Governor of Alabama. : Augustus Hawkins retired. : Bruce Morrison retired to run for Governor of Connecticut. : Walter Fauntroy retired to run for mayor of Washington D.C. : Bill Nelson retired to run for Governor of Florida. : Lindy Boggs retired. : Joseph E. Brennan retired to run for Governor of Maine. : George Crockett Jr. retired. : Tom Luken retired : Wes Watkins retired to run for Governor of Oklahoma. : Marvin Leath retired.

Republicans : Tommy F. Robinson retired to run for Governor of Arkansas. : Norman D. Shumway retired. : Hank Brown retired to run for U.S. Senate. : John G. Rowland retired to run for Governor of Connecticut. : Pat Saiki retired to run for U.S. Senate. : Larry Craig retired to run for U.S. Senate. : Lynn Morley Martin retired to run for U.S. Senate. : Tom Tauke retired to run for U.S. Senate. : Bob Whittaker retired. : Bill Schuette retired to run for U.S. Senate. : Bill Frenzel retired. : Virginia D. Smith retired. : Bob Smith retired to run for U.S. Senate. : Jim Courter retired : Mike DeWine retired to run for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. : Claudine Schneider retired to run for U.S. Senate. : 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 : Robert Garcia resigned January 7, 1990 following trial over links to involvement in Wedtech scandal. : James Florio resigned January 16, 1990, to become Governor of New Jersey. : Daniel Akaka resigned January 16, 1990, to become a U.S. Senator.

Republican : Guy Molinari Incumbent resigned December 31, 1989.

Incumbents defeated

In primary elections One Member of Congress lost renomination.

Republican : Buz Lukens lost renomination to John Boehner, who won the general election.

In general elections Democrats Six Democrats lost re-election to Republicans : Douglas H. Bosco (first elected in 1982) lost re-election to Frank Riggs : Jim Bates (first elected in 1982) lost re-election to Duke Cunningham : Roy Dyson (first elected in 1980) lost re-election to Wayne Gilchrest : James M. Clarke (first elected in 1982, and then re-elected in 1986 after losing in 1984) lost re-election to Charles H. Taylor : Doug Walgren (first elected in 1976) lost re-election to Rick Santorum : Robert Kastenmeier (first elected in 1958) lost re-election to Scott Klug

Republicans Eight Republicans lost re-election to Democrats : Chip Pashayan (first elected in 1978) lost re-election to Cal Dooley : Bill Grant (first elected in 1986) lost re-election to Pete Peterson : John P. Hiler (first elected in 1980) lost re-election to Tim Roemer : Arlan Stangeland (first elected in 1977) lost re-election to Collin Peterson : Jack Buechner (first elected in 1986) lost re-election to Joan Kelly Horn : Charles Douglas III (first elected in 1988) lost re-election to Richard Swett : Denny Smith (first elected in 1980) lost re-election to Michael J. Kopetski : 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 : 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 : Won by Ray Thornton : Won by Neil Abercrombie : Won by Larry LaRocco : Won by John W. Cox Jr. : Won by Jack Reed : Won by Bill Orton

Democratic seats won by Republicans There were no Democratic seats won by Republicans

Open seats that parties held

Democratic seats held by Democrats Democrats held thirteen of their open seats : Won by Anna Eshoo : Won by Maxine Waters : Won by Eleanor Holmes Norton : Won by Rosa DeLauro : Won by Jim Bacchus : Won by Patsy Mink who also won the district's special election, see below : Won by William Jefferson : Won by Thomas Andrews : Won by Barbara-Rose Collins : Won by Rob Andrews who also won the district's special election, see below : Won by Charlie Luken : Won by Bill Brewster : Won by Chet Edwards

Republican seats held by Republicans Republicans held twelve of their open seats : Won by John Doolittle : Won by Wayne Allard : Won by Gary Franks : Won by Jim Nussle : Won by Dick Nichols : Won by Dave Camp : Won by Jim Ramstad : Won by Bill Barrett : Won by Bill Zeliff : Won by Dick Zimmer : Won by Dave Hobson : Won by John Boehner

Closest races Fifty-four races were decided by 10% or lower.

District Winner Margin data-sort-value=-0.5 (flip) 0.03% data-sort-value=1 0.62% data-sort-value=1 0.99% data-sort-value=0.5 (flip) 1.33% data-sort-value=0.5 (flip) 1.44% data-sort-value=0.5 (flip) 1.53% data-sort-value=-1 1.62% data-sort-value=-0.5 (flip) 1.78% data-sort-value=1 1.99% data-sort-value=1 2.06% data-sort-value=-1 2.17% data-sort-value=1 2.27% data-sort-value=1 2.58% data-sort-value=-1 2.63% data-sort-value=1 (flip) 2.89% data-sort-value=1 2.93% data-sort-value=1 3.82% data-sort-value=1 3.85% data-sort-value=-1 3.87% data-sort-value=-1 3.90% data-sort-value=1 4.09% data-sort-value=-1 4.21% data-sort-value=1 4.29% data-sort-value=-1 4.36% data-sort-value=-1 4.44% data-sort-value=1 4.47% data-sort-value=-1 4.47% data-sort-value=-1 4.87% data-sort-value=-1 5.09% data-sort-value=-0.5 (flip) 5.37% data-sort-value=-1 5.42% data-sort-value=1 5.65% data-sort-value=-0.5 (flip) 6.01% data-sort-value=-1 6.28% data-sort-value=1 (flip) 6.45% data-sort-value=-1 6.82% data-sort-value=-1 6.91% data-sort-value=-0.5 (flip) 7.08% data-sort-value=1 7.09% data-sort-value=-0.5 (flip) 7.12% data-sort-value=-1 7.52% data-sort-value=1 8.10% data-sort-value=1 8.32% data-sort-value=1 8.35% data-sort-value=1 8.61% data-sort-value=1 8.98% data-sort-value=-0.5 (flip) 9.09% data-sort-value=-0.5 (flip) 9.17% data-sort-value=-1 9.35% data-sort-value=1 9.42% data-sort-value=-1 9.44% data-sort-value=1 9.51% data-sort-value=-1 9.94%

Special elections

Elections are listed by date and district.

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Robert Garcia Democratic 1978 Incumbent resigned January 7, 1990 following trial over links to involvement in Wedtech scandal.New member March 20, 1990.Democratic hold.Winner was subsequently re-elected in November. Guy Molinari Republican 1980 Incumbent resigned December 31, 1989.New member elected March 20, 1990.Republican hold.Winner was subsequently re-elected in November. James Florio Democratic 1974 Incumbent resigned January 16, 1990, to become Governor of New Jersey.New member elected November 6, 1990.Democratic hold.Winner also elected the same day to the next term; see below. Daniel Akaka Democratic 1976 Incumbent resigned May 15, 1990 to become U.S. senator.New member elected November 6, 1990.Democratic hold.Winner also elected the same day to the next term; see below.

Alabama

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Sonny Callahan Republican 1984 Incumbent re-elected. William L. Dickinson Republican 1964 Incumbent re-elected. Glen Browder Democratic 1989 Incumbent re-elected. Tom Bevill Democratic 1966 Incumbent re-elected. Ronnie Flippo Democratic 1976 Incumbent retired to run for Alabama Governor.Democratic hold. Ben Erdreich Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Claude Harris Jr. Democratic 1986 Incumbent re-elected.

Alaska

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Don Young Republican 1973 Incumbent re-elected.

Arizona

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates John Jacob Rhodes III Republican 1986 Incumbent re-elected. Mo Udall Democratic 1961 Incumbent re-elected. Bob Stump Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Jon Kyl Republican 1986 Incumbent re-elected. Jim Kolbe Republican 1984 Incumbent re-elected.

Arkansas

District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates William Vollie Alexander Jr. Democratic 1968 Incumbent re-elected. Tommy F. Robinson Republican 1984 Incumbent retired to run for Arkansas Governor.Democratic gain. John Paul Hammerschmidt Republican 1966 Incumbent re-elected. Beryl Anthony Jr. Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected.

California