1990 United States House of Representatives elections

← 1988 November 6, 1990 1992 →
All 435 seats in theUnited 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 1.2pp 1.3pp   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 ElectedSpeaker Tom Foley Democratic

The1990 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for theUnited States House of Representatives on November 6, 1990, to elect members to serve in the102nd United States Congress. They occurred in the middle ofPresidentGeorge H. W. Bush's term. As in most midterm elections, the president'sRepublican Party lost seats to theDemocratic 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 theLibertarian Party as well as independent candidates.

As of 2024^[update], 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 other party won in the previous presidential election, according to Kyle Kondik ofSabato's Crystal Ball; in this case, the Republicans defendedIowa's 2nd congressional district.^[1]

407 incumbent members sought reelection, but one was defeated a primary and 15 were defeated in the general election for a total of 391 incumbents winning.^[2]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One Member of Congress lost renomination.

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

Six Democrats lost re-election to Republicans

1. California 1:Douglas H. Bosco (first elected in 1982) lost re-election toFrank Riggs
2. California 44:Jim Bates (first elected in 1982) lost re-election toDuke Cunningham
3. Maryland 1:Roy Dyson (first elected in 1980) lost re-election toWayne 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 toCharles H. Taylor
5. Pennsylvania 18:Doug Walgren (first elected in 1976) lost re-election toRick Santorum
6. Wisconsin 2:Robert Kastenmeier (first elected in 1958) lost re-election toScott Klug

Eight Republicans lost re-election to Democrats

1. California 17:Chip Pashayan (first elected in 1978) lost re-election toCal Dooley
2. Florida 2:James W. Grant (first elected in 1986) lost re-election toPete Peterson
3. Indiana 3:John P. Hiler (first elected in 1980) lost re-election toTim Roemer
4. Minnesota 7:Arlan Stangeland (first elected in 1977) lost re-election toCollin Peterson
5. Missouri 2:Jack Buechner (first elected in 1986) lost re-election toJoan Kelly Horn
6. New Hampshire 2:Charles Douglas III (first elected in 1988) lost re-election toRichard Swett
7. Oregon 5:Denny Smith (first elected in 1980) lost re-election toMichael J. Kopetski
8. Virginia 8:Stanford Parris (first elected in 1972, and then re-elected in 1980 after losing in 1974) lost re-electionJim Moran

One Republican lost re-election to an Independent

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

Six Republican seats were won by Democrats

1. Arkansas 2: Won byRay Thornton
2. Hawaii 1: Won byNeil Abercrombie
3. Idaho 1: Won byLarry LaRocco
4. Illinois 16: Won byJohn W. Cox Jr.
5. Rhode Island 2: Won byJack Reed
6. Utah 3: Won byBill Orton

There were no Democratic seats won by Republicans

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

Elections are listed by date and district.

Six incumbents were re=elected by receiving more than 50% of the vote in their Oct. 6 jungle primary. Baker was automatically re-elected without having to appear on a ballot.