The 1998 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 3, 1998, to elect U.S. Representatives to serve in the

106th United States Congress The 106th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 19 ...

. They were part of the

midterm elections Apart from general elections and by-elections, a midterm election refers to a type of election where the people can elect their representatives and other subnational officeholders (e.g. governor, members of local council) in the middle of the te ...

held during

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

's second term. They were a major disappointment for the Republicans, who were expecting to gain seats due to the embarrassment Clinton suffered during the

Monica Lewinsky scandal Monica may refer to: People *Monica (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress * Mônica (footballer, born 1978) (Mônica Angélica de Paula) * Mônica (footb ...

and the "

six-year itch The six-year itch, according to political scientists, is the pattern which takes place during a U.S. president's sixth year in office. This year is characterized by the nation's disgruntled attitude towards the president and their political part ...

" effect observed in most second-term midterm elections. However, the Republicans lost five seats to the Democrats, although they retained a narrow majority in the House. A wave of Republican discontent with Speaker

Newt Gingrich Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1 ...

prompted him to resign shortly after the election; he was replaced by Congressman

Dennis Hastert John Dennis Hastert ( ; born January 2, 1942) is an American former politician, teacher, and wrestling coach who represented from 1987 to 2007 and served as the 51st speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007. Hast ...

of Illinois. The campaign was marked by Republican attacks on the morality of President

, with independent counsel

Kenneth Starr Kenneth Winston Starr (July 21, 1946 – September 13, 2022) was an American lawyer and judge who as Special prosecutor, independent counsel authored the Starr Report, which served as the basis of the impeachment of Bill Clinton. He headed an i ...

having released his report on the Lewinsky scandal and House leaders having initiated an inquiry into whether impeachable offenses had occurred. However, exit polls indicated that most voters opposed impeaching Clinton, and predictions of high Republican or low Democratic turnout due to the scandal failed to materialize. Some speculate that the losses reflected a backlash against the Republicans for attacking the popular Clinton. With the Republicans having lost four House seats and failing to gain any seats in the Senate, it was the first time since

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...

that the non-presidential party failed to gain congressional seats in a midterm election; this would happen again in

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

. This was the last election until

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

where no incumbents who served at least 6 terms (12 years) lost re-nomination or re-election, and also the most recent where no Democratic incumbent lost renomination.See

Overall results

1998 US House of Representatives Election by States

Source
Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk

Incumbent retirements

Democrats

# : Vic Fazio # : Esteban Torres # :

Jane Harman Jane Margaret Harman (née Lakes, June 28, 1945) is an American former politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1993 to 1999 and again from 2001 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the ranking member on the ...

: To run for Governor # : David Skaggs # : Barbara B. Kennelly: To run for Governor # :

Sidney R. Yates Sidney Richard Yates (August 27, 1909 – October 5, 2000) was an American attorney and Democratic Party politician who represented the state of Illinois in the United States House of Representatives for twenty-four terms from 1949 to 1963 a ...

# : Glenn Poshard: To run for Governor # :

Lee Hamilton Lee Herbert Hamilton (born April 20, 1931) is an American politician and lawyer from Indiana. He is a former member of the United States House of Representatives and a former member of the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council. A member of the ...

# :

Scotty Baesler Henry Scott Baesler (born July 9, 1941) is an American Democratic politician and former Representative for the 6th district in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, including Lexington, Richmond, and Georgetown. He served as the Mayor of Lexington fr ...

: To run for U.S. Senate # : Joseph P. Kennedy II # :

Thomas Manton Thomas Manton (1620–1677) was an English Puritan clergyman. He was a clerk to the Westminster Assembly and a chaplain to Oliver Cromwell. Early life Thomas Manton was baptised 31 March 1620 at Lydeard St Lawrence, Somerset, a remote sout ...

# :

Chuck Schumer Charles Ellis Schumer ( ; born November 23, 1950) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from New York (state), New York, a seat he has held since 1999. ...

: To run for U.S. Senate # :

Bill Hefner Willie Gathrel Hefner (April 11, 1930 – September 2, 2009), was an American radio personality and Democratic U.S. Congressman from North Carolina, serving between 1975 and 1999. Life and career Born in Elora, Tennessee, Hefner graduated ...

# :

Louis Stokes Louis Stokes (February 23, 1925 – August 18, 2015) was an American attorney, civil rights pioneer and politician. He served 15 terms in the United States House of Representatives – representing the east side of Cleveland – and was the firs ...

# :

Elizabeth Furse Elizabeth Furse (October 13, 1936 – April 18, 2021) was a Kenya Colony-born American small business owner and former faculty member of Portland State University. She was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 1999 ...

# :

Paul McHale Paul Francis McHale Jr. (born July 26, 1950) is a retired American lawyer and politician as well as a United States Marine. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense. From 1993 to 1999, he represen ...

# :

Henry B. González Henry Barbosa González (born Enrique Barbosa González; May 3, 1916 – November 28, 2000) was an American Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Texas, who represented Texas's 20th congressional district from 1961 to 1999. He is the long ...

Republicans

# :

Frank Riggs Frank Duncan Riggs (September 5, 1950 – December 20, 2023) was an American U.S. army veteran, law enforcement officer, charter school executive, and Republican politician from the states of California and Arizona. He served three terms in the ...

: To run for U.S. Senate # :

Daniel Schaefer Daniel Schaefer (January 25, 1936 – April 16, 2006) was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 6th congressional district from 1983 to 1999. Early life and education Born in Guttenberg, Iowa, he attended ...

# :

Mike Crapo Michael Dean Crapo ( ; born May 20, 1951) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Idaho, a seat he has held since 1999. A member of the Rep ...

: To run for U.S. Senate # : Harris Fawell # :

Jim Bunning James Paul David Bunning (October 23, 1931 – May 26, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher and politician from Kentucky who served in both chambers of the United States Congress, a member of the United States House of Representati ...

: To run for U.S. Senate # : Michael Parker: To run for Governor # : Jon Christensen: To run for Governor # :

John Ensign John Eric Ensign (born March 25, 1958) is an American veterinarian and former politician who served as a United States Senator from Nevada from 2001 until his resignation in 2011 amid a Senate Ethics Committee investigation into his attempts to ...

: To run for U.S. Senate # :

Gerald Solomon Gerald Brooks Hunt Solomon (August 14, 1930 – October 26, 2001) was an American businessman and politician most notable for his long service as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. A veteran of the United St ...

# :

Bill Paxon Leon William Paxon (born April 29, 1954) is an American lobbyist and former member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. From 1989 to 1999, he served five terms in Congress. Early life Paxon was born in Akron, New Yo ...

# : Bob Smith # :

Joseph M. McDade Joseph Michael McDade (September 29, 1931 – September 24, 2017) was an American politician who was a member of the United States House of Representatives, having represented Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district. Early life and care ...

# :

Bob Inglis Robert Durden Inglis Sr. (born October 11, 1959) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for from 1993 to 1999 and again from 2005 to 2011. He is a moderate member of the Republican Party. Inglis was unseated in the Republi ...

: To run for U.S. Senate # : Linda Smith: To run for U.S. Senate # :

Mark Neumann Mark William Neumann (born February 27, 1954) is an American businessman and politician. He represented for two terms, from 1995 to 1999. In 2010, Neumann unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor. In 2012, Neumann ran for t ...

: To run for U.S. Senate # : Scott Klug

Incumbents defeated

In primary elections

This remains the most recent election as of 2024 where no Democratic incumbent lost to a Democratic challenger.

Republicans who lost to a Republican challenger

# :

Jay Kim Jay Chang Joon Kim (; born March 27, 1939) is a Korean- American politician and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California. He was the first Korean American to be elected to the United States Congress. Early life, educa ...

lost to Gary Miller who later won the general election

In the general election

Democrats who lost to a Republican challenger

# : Jay Johnson lost to Mark Green

Republicans who lost to a Democratic challenger

# : Vince Snowbarger lost to Dennis Moore # :

Mike Pappas Michael James Pappas (born December 29, 1960) is an American politician and former one term Republican congressman from New Jersey, serving from 1997 to 1999. He is currently the Township Administrator in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He was an unsu ...

lost to

Rush Holt Jr. Rush Dew Holt Jr. (born October 15, 1948) is an American scientist and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2015. He is a member of the Democratic Party and son of former West Virginia U.S. Senator Rush D. Holt Sr. ...

# :

Bill Redmond William Thomas Redmond (born January 28, 1954) is an American politician and minister who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New Mexico. He is the only Republican to represent this district. Early ...

lost to

Tom Udall Thomas Stewart Udall ( ; born May 18, 1948) is an American diplomat, attorney, and politician who had served as the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States senator for N ...

# : Jon D. Fox lost to

Joe Hoeffel Joseph Merrill Hoeffel III ( ; born September 3, 1950) is an American author and politician. A Democrat, Hoeffel was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2005, representing Pennsylvania's 13th congressional distr ...

# : Rick White lost to

Jay Inslee Jay Robert Inslee ( ; born February 9, 1951) is an American politician and lawyer who served from 2013 to 2025 as the 23rd governor of Washington. A member of the Democratic Party, he served from 1993 to 1995 and again from 1999 to 2012 as a ...

Closest races

Forty-three races were decided by 10% or lower.

Special elections

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

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

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Notes

References

External links

* {{United States House of Representatives elections Presidency of Bill Clinton Clinton–Lewinsky scandal John Boehner Sherrod Brown John Conyers Newt Gingrich Barney Frank John Dingell Dennis Hastert Ed Markey John Thune

Overall results

Incumbent retirements

Democrats

Republicans

Incumbents defeated

In primary elections

Republicans who lost to a Republican challenger

In the general election

Democrats who lost to a Republican challenger

Republicans who lost to a Democratic challenger

Closest races

Special elections

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

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

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

See also

Notes

References

External links