Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1998

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← 1996Popular vote2000 →
 %
50
40
30th
20th
10
0
48.0%
47.1%
4.9%
Otherwise.
Gains and losses
compared to 1996
 % p
   2
   0
  -2
  -4
+ 0.2  % p
-1.0  % p
+ 0.8  % p
Otherwise.
   
A total of 435 seats
  • Dem .: 211
  • GOP : 223
  • Otherwise: 1

The election to the United States House of Representatives took place on November 3, 1998 in the middle of the second term of office of President Bill Clinton ( midterm election ). The result was disappointing for the Republican Party , as it did not bring the expected gain in seats. The Republicans even lost five seats to the Democrats, but were barely able to maintain their majority in the House of Representatives . In the past, such midterm elections were mostly to the detriment of the ruling party, especially in the second term of office of a president. Since 1934, this was the first election in which a non-ruling party could not win seats in a midterm election . The polarizing policies of Newt Gingrich , the Speaker of the House of Representatives , who subsequently had to resign from his office , were primarily responsible for the disappointing election result for the Republicans .

The election campaign was marked by the Lewinsky affair and discussions about a possible impeachment against Clinton. However, polls already showed that Clinton's popularity remained high despite the affair and that most voters rejected impeachment from the president. The sharp attacks by Republican hardliners against Clinton probably caused some voters to show solidarity with the president and his party.

The election results

Majority of Seats in the House of Representatives by State:
  • 80.1–100% of the seats for the Democrats
  • 60.1–80% of the seats for the Democrats
  • 60% or less of the seats for the Democrats
  • 60% or less of the seats for the Republicans
  • 60.1–80% of the seats for Republicans
  • 80.1–100% of the seats for Republicans
  • 80.1–100% of the seats for independent candidates
  • 1-2 seats won by the Democrats
  • 1-2 seats won by the Republicans
  • no change in the distribution of seats
    • Parties Seats be right
    1996 1998 +/- Strength be right % modification
      republican 228 223 −5 51.2% 31,983,612 48.0% + 0.2%
      Democrats 206 211 +5 48.5% 31,391,834 47.1% −1.0%
      Independent 1 1 ± 0 0.2% 372.072 0.6% 0.0%
      Libertarian party - - - - 880.024 1.3% + 0.6%
      Reform Party - - - - 239.173 0.4% + 0.2%
      Natural Law Party - - - - 195.015 0.3% −0.2%
      Independence Party - - - - 78.042 0.1% 0.0%
      Green party - - - - 70,932 0.1% + 0.1%
      Other parties - - - - 1,294,098 2.1% +1.0%
    total 435 435 0 100.0% 66,604,802 100.0% -
    Source: Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk