United States House of Representatives elections, 1888

United States House of Representatives elections, 1888

1886 ←
→ 1890

All 332 seats to the United States House of Representatives
167 seats were needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Thomas Reed John Carlisle
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat Maine-1st Kentucky-6th
Last election 152 seats 167 seats
Seats won 179 152
Seat change +27 -15

Speaker before election

John Carlisle
Democratic

Elected Speaker

Thomas Reed
Republican

The U.S. House election, 1888 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1888 which coincided with the election of President Benjamin Harrison.

Harrison's Republican Party gained a majority in the House at the expense of the Democratic Party, even though incumbent President Grover Cleveland actually received more votes than Harrison. The issue of tariffs played a key role in this election. The Democrats, with the support of farmers and laborers, wanted to lower tariffs in order to promote free trade, while the Republicans, backed by industry and big business, believed that higher tariffs were necessary to protect American manufacturing. Especially in industrializing regions, voters chose the Republican view on tariffs, as they gave the party a slim majority in the House.

Overall results

Party Total seats (change) Seat percentage
Republican Party 179 +27 53.9%
Democratic Party 152 -15 45.7%
Labor Party 1 -1 0.3%
Totals 332 +7 100.0%


California

District Incumbent Party Elected Status Opponent
California 1 Thomas Larkin Thompson Democratic
1886
Running John J. De Haven (R) 49.9%
Thomas L. Thompson (D) 49%
W. D. Reynolds (K-N) 1.1%
California 2 Marion Biggs Democratic
1886
Running Marion Biggs (D) 50.6%
John A. Eagon (R) 46.6%
S. M. McLean (I) 2.4%
J. F. McSwain (K-N) 0.4%
California 3 Joseph McKenna Republican
1885
Running Joseph McKenna (R) 57.1%
Ben Morgan (D) 41.9%
S. Solon Holl (K-N) 1%
California 4 William W. Morrow Republican
1884
Running William W. Morrow (R) 50.7%
Robert Ferral (D) 48.6%
Frank M. Pixley (K-N) 0.6%
California 5 Charles N. Felton Republican
1884
Retiring Thomas J. Clunie (D) 50.1%
Timothy G. Phelps (R) 49.9%
California 6 William Vandever Republican
1886
Retiring William Vandever (R) 52.5%
Reel B. Terry (D) 43.7%
J. G. Miller (I) 3.5%
Alfred Daggett (K-N) 0.2%

See also