2004 United States House of Representatives elections

2004 United States House of Representatives elections
← outgoing members elected members →
All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives; 218 seats needed for a majority
	Results:; Democratic hold Democratic gain; Republican hold Republican gain; Independent hold
Speaker before election; Dennis Hastert; Republican	Elected Speaker ; Dennis Hastert; Republican

The 2004 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 2, 2004, to elect all 435 seats of the chamber. It coincided with the re-election of President George W. Bush as well as many Senate elections and gubernatorial elections. Prior to the election in the 108th Congress, Republicans held 227 seats, Democrats held 205, with two Republican vacancies and one independent. As a result of this election, the 109th Congress began composed of 232 Republicans, 201 Democrats, one independent (who caucuses with the Democrats), and one vacancy (Democrat Bob Matsui won reelection but died just two days before the beginning of the 109th Congress).

Quick Facts All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives 218 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

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Democrats won open seats in Colorado, South Dakota, and New York while ousting incumbents in Georgia and Illinois. Republicans won an open seat in Kentucky while ousting an incumbent in Indiana. They gained five seats in Texas after a controversial mid-decade redistricting placed several rural Democratic incumbents into new districts. Two seats in Louisiana swapped party control.

As of 2024, this is the last election in which someone who was not from the Democratic or Republican Party was elected to the House (Independent Bernie Sanders). Republicans would not make consecutive net gains in the House (after gaining seats in the 2002 election) until 2020 and 2022. This was also the last election in which the Republicans made any gains in a presidential election year until 2020.

Federal

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202	1	232
Democratic	I	Republican

More information Parties, Seats ...

Summary of the 2004 United States House of Representatives elections results
Parties		Seats				Popular vote
Parties		2002	2004	Net change	Strength	Vote	%	Change
	Republican Party	229	232	3	53.3%	55,958,144	49.4%	-0.6%
	Democratic Party	205	202	3	46.4%	52,969,786	46.8%	+1.6%
	Libertarian Party	—	—	—	—	1,056,844	0.9%	-0.5%
	Independent	1	1	0	0.2%	674,202	0.6%	+0.1%
	Green Party	—	—	—	—	344,549	0.3%	-0.1%
	Constitution Party	—	—	—	—	187,006	0.2%	-
	Reform Party	—	—	—	—	85,539	0.1%	+0.1%
	Independence Party	—	—	—	—	76,053	0.1%	+0.1%
	Others	—	—	—	—	1,840,163	1.6%	-0.6%
Total		434	435	0	100.0%	113,192,286	100.0%	–
Source: Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk

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More information Popular vote ...

Popular vote

Republican			49.44%
Democratic			46.80%
Libertarian			0.93%
Green			0.30%
Others			2.53%

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More information House seats ...

House seats

Republican			53.33%
Democratic			46.44%
Independent			0.23%

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Maps

Winner's share of the vote
Popular vote by states
Summary of party change of U.S. House seats in the 2004 House election

In the November general elections, thirty incumbents did not seek re-election, either to retire or to seek other positions.

Democrats

Thirteen Democrats did not seek re-election.

California 20: Cal Dooley retired.
Florida 20: Peter Deutsch retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Georgia 4: Denise Majette retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Illinois 3: Bill Lipinski retired.
Kentucky 4: Ken Lucas retired.
Louisiana 7: Chris John retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Missouri 3: Dick Gephardt retired to run for U.S. president.
Missouri 5: Karen McCarthy retired.
Oklahoma 2: Brad Carson retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Pennsylvania 13: Joe Hoeffel retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Puerto Rico at-large: Aníbal Acevedo Vilá retired to run for Governor of Puerto Rico.
Texas 8: Jim Turner retired when redistricted from the 2nd district.
Wisconsin 4: Jerry Kleczka retired.

Republicans

Seventeen Republicans did not seek re-election.

California 3: Doug Ose retired.
Colorado 3: Scott McInnis retired.
Georgia 6: Johnny Isakson retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Georgia 8: Mac Collins retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Louisiana 1: David Vitter retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Louisiana 3: Billy Tauzin retired.
Michigan 7: Nick Smith retired.
New York 27: Jack Quinn retired.
New York 29: Amo Houghton retired.
North Carolina 5: Richard Burr retired to run for U.S. Senator.
North Carolina 10: Cass Ballenger retired.
Pennsylvania 8: James C. Greenwood retired.
Pennsylvania 15: Pat Toomey retired to run for U.S. Senator.
South Carolina 4: Jim DeMint retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Virginia 2: Ed Schrock retired.
Washington 5: George Nethercutt retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Washington 8: Jennifer Dunn retired.

Two seats opened early due to resignations and were not filled until the November elections.

Democrats

No Democrats resigned.

Republicans

Two Republicans resigned.

Florida 14: Porter Goss resigned September 23, 2004 to become Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Nebraska 1: Doug Bereuter resigned August 31, 2004 to become president of The Asia Foundation.

In primary elections

Democrats

Two Democrats lost renomination.

Texas 9: Chris Bell lost to Al Green, who won the general election.
Texas 28: Ciro Rodriguez lost to Henry Cuellar, who won the general election.

Republicans

No Republicans lost renomination. This was the first time this had occurred since 1984.

In the general election

Democrats

Five Democrats lost re-election to Republicans.

Indiana 9: Baron Hill lost to Mike Sodrel.
Texas 1: Max Sandlin lost to Louie Gohmert.
Texas 2: Nick Lampson lost to Ted Poe.
Texas 19: Charles Stenholm lost a redistricting race to Randy Neugebauer.
Texas 32: Martin Frost lost a redistricting race to Pete Sessions.

Republicans

Two Republicans lost re-election to Democrats.

Georgia 12: Max Burns lost to John Barrow.
Illinois 8: Phil Crane lost to Melissa Bean.

Democratic seats won by Republicans

Three Democratic seats were won by Republicans.

Kentucky 4: Won by Geoff Davis.
Louisiana 7: Won by Charles Boustany.
Puerto Rico at-large: Won by Luis Fortuño.

Republican seats won by Democrats

Three Republican seats were won by Democrats.

Democratic seats held by Democrats

Democrats held nine of their open seats.

California 20: Won by Jim Costa.
Florida 20: Won by Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Georgia 4: Won by Cynthia McKinney.
Illinois 3: Won by Dan Lipinski.
Missouri 3: Won by Russ Carnahan.
Missouri 5: Won by Emanuel Cleaver.
Oklahoma 2: Won by Dan Boren.
Pennsylvania 13: Won by Allyson Schwartz.
Wisconsin 4: Won by Gwen Moore.

Republican seats held by Republicans

Republicans held sixteen of their open seats.

California 3: Won by Dan Lungren.
Florida 14: Won by Connie Mack IV.
Georgia 6: Won by Tom Price.
Georgia 8: Won by Lynn Westmoreland.
Louisiana 1: Won by Bobby Jindal.
Michigan 7: Won by Joe Schwarz.
Nebraska 1: Won by Jeff Fortenberry.
New York 29: Won by Randy Kuhl.
North Carolina 5: Won by Virginia Foxx.
North Carolina 10: Won by Patrick McHenry.
Pennsylvania 8: Won by Mike Fitzpatrick.
Pennsylvania 15: Won by Charlie Dent.
South Carolina 4: Won by Bob Inglis.
Virginia 2: Won by Thelma Drake.
Washington 5: Won by Cathy McMorris.
Washington 8: Won by Dave Reichert.

Twenty-three races were decided by 10% or lower.^[1]

More information District, Winner ...

District	Winner	Margin
Indiana 9th	Republican (flip)	0.49%
Louisiana 3rd	Democratic (flip)	0.50%
New York 27th	Democratic (flip)	1.33%
Pennsylvania 6th	Republican	2.02%
Illinois 8th	Democratic (flip)	3.39%
Georgia 12th	Democratic (flip)	3.62%
Texas 17th	Democratic	3.78%
Colorado 3rd	Democratic (flip)	3.99%
Connecticut 4th	Republican	4.68%
Washington 8th	Republican	4.80%
Colorado 4th	Republican	6.27%
California 20th	Democratic	6.80%
South Dakota at-large	Democratic	7.45%
Missouri 3rd	Democratic	7.72%
Minnesota 6th	Democratic	8.05%
Connecticut 2nd	Republican	8.36%
Oregon 5th	Democratic	8.53%
Indiana 8th	Republican	8.82%
New Mexico 1st	Republican	8.87%
Indiana 2nd	Republican	9.63%
North Carolina 11th	Republican	9.80%
New York 29th	Republican	9.86%
Louisiana 7th	Republican (flip)	9.92%

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Of the thirty-two seats created in the 2003 Texas redistricting, three had no incumbent representative.

Democratic gain

No Democrats were elected in newly created seats.