1888 United States House of Representatives elections


Elections to the United States House of Representatives held in 1888 were held to choose members of the 51st Congress, and were held at the same time as 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 counted than Harrison. However, as in other elections in the period, widespread vote suppression and fraud was common on behalf of Democrats and against black Republicans in the South. The Republican House majority in uncontested elections unseated a number of initially reported as victorious Democratic candidates in favor of Republican candidates who contested their election loss. 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.

Election summaries

Seven seats were added, for the six new states of, in order of admission : North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming.
The previous election had 4 third-party candidates, 2 Labor, 1 Greenback, and 1 Independent.

Election dates

In 1888, three states, with 7 seats among them, held elections early:
The States admitted in 1889 all held their first election on October 1.
Wyoming's first election was held on September 11, 1890, for both the 51st Congress and the 52nd Congress. Idaho held two elections simultaneously on October 1, 1890, one for the 51st Congress and the other for the 52nd Congress.

Complete returns

In the, initial returns showed William H. Cate winning the election, but the election was contested by Lewis P. Featherstone, and on Mary 5, 1890, was declared the winner.
In the, Clifton R. Breckinridge was initially declared re-elected. John M. Clayton successfully contested the election, but was assassinated before the contest was complete, so the House declared the seat vacant. Breckinridge was then re-elected November 4, 1890 to finish the term.

California

DistrictIncumbentPartyFirst
elected		ResultCandidates
Thomas Larkin ThompsonDemocratic1886Lost re-election
Republican gain		John J. De Haven 49.9%
Thomas L. Thompson 49%
W. D. Reynolds 1.1%
Marion BiggsDemocratic1886Re-electedMarion Biggs 50.6%
John A. Eagon 46.6%
S. M. McLean 2.4%
J. F. McSwain 0.4%
Joseph McKennaRepublican1884Re-electedJoseph McKenna 56.0%
Ben Morgan 41.2%
W. W. Smith 1.9%
S. Solon Holl 1.0%
William W. MorrowRepublican1884Re-electedWilliam W. Morrow 50.8%
Robert Ferral 48.6%
Frank M. Pixley 0.6%
Charles N. FeltonRepublican1884Retired
Democratic gain		Thomas J. Clunie 49.3%
Timothy G. Phelps 49.2%
Henry French
William VandeverRepublican1886Retired
Republican hold		William Vandever 52.5%
Reel B. Terry 43.7%
J. G. Miller 3.5%
Alfred Daggett 0.2%

Florida

DistrictIncumbentPartyFirst
elected		ResultCandidates
Robert H. M. DavidsonDemocratic1876Re-electedRobert H. M. Davidson 67.1%
H. R. Benjamin 32.9%
Charles DoughertyDemocratic1884Retired
Democratic hold		Robert Bullock 53.5%
Frederick S. Goodrich 46.5%

Ohio

South Carolina

DistrictIncumbentPartyFirst
elected		ResultCandidates
Samuel DibbleDemocratic1882Re-electedSamuel Dibble 86.7%
S. W. McKinlay 13.1%
Others 0.2%
George D. TillmanDemocratic1878Re-electedGeorge D. Tillman 86.8%
Seymour E. Smith 11.4%
Others 1.8%
James S. CothranDemocratic1886Re-electedJames S. Cothran 99.8%
Others 0.2%
William H. PerryDemocratic1884Re-electedWilliam H. Perry 99.9%
Others 0.1%
John J. HemphillDemocratic1882Re-electedJohn J. Hemphill 99.7%
Others 0.3%
George W. DarganDemocratic1882Re-electedGeorge W. Dargan 95.7%
Others 4.3%
William ElliottDemocratic1884Re-electedWilliam Elliott 54.1%
Thomas E. Miller 45.4%
Others 0.5%

In the, Elliott was initially declared re-elected, but Miller successfully challenged the election and was seated in his place in September, 1890.

Non-voting members

Montana Territory