1998 United States House of Representatives elections

← 1996 November 3, 1998 2000 →
All 435 seats in theUnited States House of Representatives 218 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Newt Gingrich (resigned) Dick Gephardt Party Republican Democratic Leader since January 3, 1995 January 3, 1995 Leader's seat Georgia 6th Missouri 3rd Last election 227 seats 206 seats Seats won 223 211 Seat change 4 5 Popular vote 32,237,964 31,490,298 Percentage 48.4% 47.3% Swing 0.2pp 0.9pp   Third party   Party Independent Last election 2 seats Seats won 1 Seat change 1 Popular vote 372,072 Percentage 0.6%
Results:      Democratic hold     Democratic gain      Republican hold     Republican gain      Independent hold
Speaker before election Newt Gingrich Republican ElectedSpeaker Dennis Hastert Republican

The1998 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 3, 1998, to electU.S. Representatives to serve in the106th United States Congress. They were part of themidterm elections held duringPresidentBill Clinton's second term. They were a major disappointment for the Republicans, who were expecting to gain seats due to the embarrassment Clinton suffered during theMonica Lewinsky scandal and the "six-year itch" 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 SpeakerNewt Gingrich prompted him to resign shortly after the election; he was replaced by CongressmanDennis Hastert of Illinois.

The campaign was marked by Republican attacks on the morality of PresidentBill Clinton, with independent counselKenneth Starr having released his report on the Lewinsky scandal and House leaders having initiatedan inquiry into whetherimpeachable 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.^[1] 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 since1934 that the non-presidential party failed to gain congressional seats in a midterm election; this would happen again in2002. This was the last election until2024 where no incumbents who served at least 6 terms (12 years) lost re-nomination or re-election, and it was also the most recent where no Democratic incumbent lost renomination.^[2]

Party		Seats			Seat percentage	Vote percentage	Popular vote
		1996	Elected	Net change
	Republican Party	227	223	4	51.3%	48.4%	32,237,964
	Democratic Party	206	211	5	48.5%	47.3%	31,490,298
	Libertarian Party	0	0		0.0%	1.3%	880,024
	Independent	2	1	1	0.2%	0.6%	372,072
	Reform Party	0	0		0.0%	0.4%	239,173
	Natural Law Party	0	0		0.0%	0.3%	195,015
	U.S. Taxpayers' Party	0	0		0.0%	0.1%	73,983
	Green Party	0	0		0.0%	0.1%	70,932
	Conservative Party	0	0		0.0%	0.1%	57,775
	Right to Life Party	0	0		0.0%	0.1%	52,356
	Independent American Party	0	0		0.0%	0.1%	45,206
	Others	0	0		0.0%	1.3%	890,004
Totals		435	435		100.0%	100.0%	66,604,802

Source:Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk

• 
  Popular vote and seats total by states
• 
  House seats by party holding plurality in state

    80%+ Democratic

    80%+ Republican

    60%+ to 80% Democratic

    60%+ to 80% Republican

    Up to 60% Democratic

    Up to 60% Republican

    80%+ Independent
• 
  Summary of party change of U.S. House seats in the 1998 House election

    6+ Democratic gain

    6+ Republican gain

    3–5 Democratic gain

    3–5 Republican gain

    1–2 Democratic gain

    1–2 Republican gain

    no net change

This remains the most recent election as of 2024 where no Democratic incumbent lost to a Democratic challenger.^[2]

1. California 41:Jay Kim lost toGary Miller who later won the general election

1. Wisconsin 8:Jay Johnson lost toMark Green

1. Kansas 3:Vince Snowbarger lost toDennis Moore
2. New Jersey 12:Mike Pappas lost toRush Holt Jr.
3. New Mexico 3:Bill Redmond lost toTom Udall
4. Pennsylvania 13:Jon D. Fox lost toJoe Hoeffel
5. Washington 1:Rick White lost toJay Inslee

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