The 1858–59 United States House of Representatives elections were held on various dates in various states between June 7, 1858, and December 1, 1859. Each state set its own date for its elections to the House of Representatives. 238 representatives were elected in the new state of Oregon, the pending new state of Kansas, and the other 32 states before the first session of the 36th United States Congress convened on December 5, 1859. They were held during President James Buchanan's term.

Quick Facts First party, Second party ...
1858–59 United States House of Representatives elections

 1856 & 1857 June 7, 1858 – December 1, 1859[a] 1860 & 1861 

All 238 seats in the United States House of Representatives[1][2]
120 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  Thumb Thumb
Leader William Pennington Thomas Bocock
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat Virginia 5th
Last election 90 seats 132 seats
Seats won 113 83[b]
Seat change Increase 23 Decrease 49
Popular vote 1,387,921 1,823,106
Percentage 36.59% 48.06%
Swing Decrease 0.39% Decrease 1.21%

  Third party Fourth party
 
Party Opposition Know Nothing
Last election new party 14 seats
Seats won 19[c] 5
Seat change Increase 19 Decrease 9
Popular vote 224,147 133,839
Percentage 5.91% 3.53%
Swing New Party[d] Decrease 11.68%

  Fifth party
 
Party Independent
Last election 1 seat[e]
Seats won 15[f]
Seat change Increase 14
Popular vote 261,964[g]
Percentage 6.91%
Swing Increase 6.02%

Thumb
Results
     Democratic gain      Democratic hold
     Republican gain      Republican hold
     Independent gain      Opposition gain
     Know Nothing hold

Speaker before election

James Orr
Democratic

Elected Speaker

William Pennington
Republican

Close

Winning a plurality for the first time, the Republicans benefited from multiple factors. These factors included the collapse of the nativist American Party, sectional strife in the Democratic Party, Northern voter dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court's March 1857 Dred Scott decision, political exposure of Democrats to chaotic violence in Kansas amid repeated attempts to impose slavery against the express will of a majority of its settlers, and a sharp decline in President Buchanan's popularity due to his perceived fecklessness. In Pennsylvania, his home state, Republicans made particularly large gains.

The pivotal Dred Scott decision was only the second time the Supreme Court had overturned an Act of Congress on Constitutional grounds, after Marbury v. Madison. The decision created apprehension in the Northern United States, where slavery had ceased to exist, that the Supreme Court would strike down any limitations on slavery anywhere in the United States with a ruling in Lemmon v. New York.

Short of a majority, Republicans controlled the House with limited cooperation from smaller parties also opposing the Democrats. Republicans were united in opposing slavery in the territories and fugitive slave laws, while rejecting the abrogation of the Missouri Compromise, key aspects of the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas–Nebraska Act, and the Dred Scott decision. Though not yet abolitionist, Republicans openly derived a primary partisan purpose from hostility to slavery while furnishing a mainstream platform for abolitionism. None of the party's views or positions was new. However, their catalytic cohesion into a unified political vehicle, and the bold dismissal of the South, represented a newly disruptive political force.

Democrats remained divided and politically trapped. Fifteen Democratic members publicly defied their party label. Of seven Independent Democrats, six represented Southern districts. Eight Northern anti-Lecompton Democrats favored a ban on slavery in Kansas, effectively upholding the Missouri Compromise their party had destroyed several years earlier. Democrats lacked credible leadership and continued to drift in a direction favorable to the interests of slavery despite obviously widening and intensifying Northern opposition to the expansion of those interests. A damaging public perception also existed that President Buchanan had improperly influenced and endorsed the Dred Scott decision, incorrectly believing that it had solved his main political problem. Such influence would violate the separation of powers. The wide gap between Democratic rhetoric and results alienated voters, while defeat in the North and intra-party defection combined to make the party both more Southern and more radical.

Democrats lost seats in some slave states as the disturbing turn of national events and surge in sectional tensions alarmed a significant minority of Southern voters. Southern politicians opposing both Democrats and extremism, but unwilling to affiliate with Republicans, ran on the Southern Opposition Party ticket (not to be conflated with the Opposition Party of 1854).[h]

For 11 states, this was the last full congressional election until the Reconstruction. Twenty-nine elected members quit near the end of the session following their states' secession from the Union, whose immediate motivation was the result of the presidential election of 1860.

Election summaries

One seat each was added for the new states of Oregon[4] and Kansas.[5]

98 5 19 116
Democratic KN Opp. Republican
More information State, Type ...
State Type Date Total
seats
Democratic[i] Know Nothing Opposition Republican
Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change Seats Change
Oregon [j] At-large June 7, 1858 1 1 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Arkansas Districts August 2, 1858 2 2 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Missouri Districts August 2, 1858 7 5[k] Steady 1 Decrease1 0 Steady 1 Increase1
Vermont Districts September 7, 1858 3 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 3 Steady
Maine Districts September 13, 1858 6 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 6 Steady
Florida At-large October 4, 1858 1 1 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
South Carolina Districts October 10–11, 1858 6 6 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Indiana Districts October 12, 1858 11 4[l] Decrease2 0 Steady 0 Steady 7 Increase2
Iowa Districts October 12, 1858 2 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 2 Steady
Ohio Districts October 12, 1858 21 6 Decrease3 0 Steady 0 Steady 15 Increase3
Pennsylvania Districts October 12, 1858 25 5[m] Decrease10 0 Steady 0 Steady 20 Increase10
Delaware At-large November 2, 1858
(Election Day)[n]
1 1 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Illinois Districts 9 5 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 4 Steady
Massachusetts Districts 11 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 11 Steady
Michigan Districts 4 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 4 Steady
New Jersey Districts 5 2[o] Decrease1 0 Steady 0 Steady 3 Increase1
New York Districts 33 7[p] Decrease5 0 Steady 0 Steady 26 Increase5
Wisconsin Districts 3 1 Increase1 0 Steady 0 Steady 2 Decrease1
Late elections (after the March 4, 1859 beginning of the term)
New Hampshire Districts March 8, 1859 3 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 3 Steady
Connecticut Districts April 4, 1859 4 0 Decrease2 0 Steady 0 Steady 4 Increase2
Rhode Island Districts April 7, 1859 2 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 2 Steady
Virginia Districts May 26, 1859 13 12[q] Decrease1 0 Steady 1 Increase1 0 Steady
Alabama Districts August 1, 1859 7 7 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Kentucky Districts August 1, 1859 10 5 Decrease3 0 Decrease2 5 Increase5 0 Steady
Texas Districts August 1, 1859 2 2[r] Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
North Carolina Districts August 4, 1859 8 4 Decrease3 0 Decrease1 4 Increase4 0 Steady
Tennessee Districts August 4, 1859 10 3 Decrease4 0 Decrease3 7 Increase7 0 Steady
California At-large September 7, 1859 2 2 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Georgia Districts October 3, 1859 8 6 Steady 0 Decrease2 2 Increase2 0 Steady
Mississippi Districts October 3, 1859 5 5 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Minnesota At-large October 4, 1859 2 0 Decrease2 0 Steady 0 Steady 2 Increase2
Louisiana Districts November 7, 1859 4 3 Steady 1 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Maryland Districts November 8, 1859 6 3 Steady 3 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady
Kansas [s] At-large December 1, 1859 1 0 Steady 0 Steady 0 Steady 1 Increase1
Total 238[t] 98[b]
41.4%
Decrease35 5
2.1%
Decrease9 19
8.0%
Increase19 116
48.5%
Increase26
Close
More information Popular vote ...
Popular vote
Democratic
48.06%
Republican
36.59%
Opposition
5.04%
Know Nothing
3.53%
Whig
0.87%
Independent
6.91%
Others
0.00%
Close
More information House seats ...
House seats
Republican
47.28%
Democratic
34.72%
Opposition
7.95%
Know Nothing
2.09%
Whig
1.67%
Independent
6.28%
Close

Maps


Special elections

There were special elections in 1858 and 1859 to the 35th United States Congress and 36th United States Congress.

Special elections are sorted by date then district.

35th Congress

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Massachusetts 7 Nathaniel P. Banks Republican 1852 Incumbent resigned December 24, 1857 to become Governor of Massachusetts.
New member elected in December 1857 or January 1858 and seated January 21, 1858.[7]
Republican hold.
Winner had already been elected to the next term; see below.
North Carolina 8 Thomas L. Clingman Democratic 1852 Incumbent resigned May 7, 1858 to become U.S. Senator.
New member elected August 5, 1858 and seated December 7, 1858.[7][8]
Know Nothing gain.
Winner later elected to the next term; see below.
Mississippi 5 John A. Quitman Democratic 1855 Incumbent died July 17, 1858.
New member elected October 4, 1858 and seated December 7, 1858.[7]
Democratic hold.
Winner later elected to the next term; see below.
Pennsylvania 8 J. Glancy Jones Democratic 1850 Incumbent resigned October 30, 1858.
New member elected November 30, 1858 and seated December 7, 1858.[7][9]
Republican gain.
Winner was not elected to the next term; see below.
Illinois 6 Thomas L. Harris Democratic 1854 Incumbent died November 24, 1858.
New member elected January 4, 1859 and seated January 20, 1859.[7]
Democratic hold.
Winner was not elected to the next term; see below.
New York 4 John Kelly Democratic 1854 Incumbent resigned December 25, 1858.
New member elected January 4, 1859 and seated January 17, 1859.[7][10]
Independent Democratic gain.
Winner was also elected to the next term; see below.
Close

36th Congress

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Ohio 14 Cyrus Spink Republican 1858 Incumbent died May 31, 1859.
New member elected October 11, 1859 and seated December 5, 1859.[11]
Republican hold.
Virginia 4 William Goode Democratic 1853 Incumbent died May 31, 1859.
New member elected October 27, 1859 and seated December 7, 1859.[11]
Democratic hold.
  • Green tickY Roger Pryor (Democratic)
  • Thomas F. Goode (Democratic)
Illinois 6 Thomas L. Harris Democratic 1854 Incumbent died November 24, 1858.
New member elected November 8, 1859 and seated December 5, 1859.[11]
Democratic hold.
Close

Alabama

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[13]
Alabama 1 James A. Stallworth Democratic 1857 Incumbent re-elected.
Alabama 2 Eli S. Shorter Democratic 1855 Incumbent retired. New member elected.

Incomplete Data

Alabama 3 James F. Dowdell Democratic 1853 Incumbent retired. New member elected.
  • Green tickY David Clopton (Democratic) 50.79%
  • Thomas J. Judge (Opposition) 49.21%
Alabama 4 Sydenham Moore Democratic 1857 Incumbent re-elected.

Incomplete Data

Alabama 5 George S. Houston Democratic 1841
1849 (retired)
1851
Incumbent re-elected.
Alabama 6 Williamson R. W. Cobb Democratic 1847 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Williamson R. W. Cobb (Democratic) 54.98%
  • Alex Snodgrass (Democratic) 20.26%
  • Edwin Wallace (Democratic) 18.09%
  • Henry R. Beaver (Democratic) 6.68%
Alabama 7 Jabez L. M. Curry Democratic 1857 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.

Unopposed

Close

Arkansas

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[14][15]
Arkansas 1 Alfred B. Greenwood Democratic 1853 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Arkansas 2 Albert Rust Democratic 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
Close

California

California held its election September 7, 1859. From statehood to 1864, California's members were elected at-large, with the top finishers winning election.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[16]
California at-large
2 seats on a general ticket
Charles L. Scott Democratic 1856 Incumbent re-elected. Elected on a general ticket:
  • Green tickY John C. Burch (Lecompton Democratic) 56.88%
  • Green tickY Charles L. Scott (Lecompton Democratic) 55.89%
  • Joseph C. McKibbin (Anti-Lecompton Democratic; Republican) 43.01%
  • Edward D. Baker (Republican; Anti-Lecompton Democratic) 41%
  • S. A. Booker (Anti-Lecompton Democratic) 2.94%
  • P. H. Sibley (Republican) 0.29%
Joseph C. McKibbin Anti-Lecompton
Democratic
1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic hold.
Close

Connecticut

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[17][16]
Connecticut 1 Ezra Clark Jr. Republican 1855 Incumbent lost renomination.
Republican hold.
Connecticut 2 Samuel Arnold Democratic 1857 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Connecticut 3 Sidney Dean Republican 1855 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
  • Green tickY Alfred A. Burnham (Republican) 51.74%
  • Rufus L. Baker (Democratic) 46.95%
  • Sidney Dean (Independent) 1.31%
Connecticut 4 William D. Bishop Democratic 1857 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Close

Delaware

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[14]
Delaware at-large William G. Whiteley Democratic 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
Close

Florida

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[14][18]
Florida at-large George S. Hawkins Democratic 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
Close

Georgia

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Georgia 1
Georgia 2
Georgia 3
Georgia 4
Georgia 5
Georgia 6
Georgia 7
Georgia 8
Close

Illinois

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Illinois 1
Illinois 2
Illinois 3
Illinois 4
Illinois 5
Illinois 6
Illinois 7
Illinois 8
Illinois 9
Close

Indiana

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Indiana 1
Indiana 2
Indiana 3
Indiana 4
Indiana 5
Indiana 6
Indiana 7
Indiana 8
Indiana 9
Indiana 10
Indiana 11
Close

Iowa

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Iowa 1
Iowa 2
Close

Kansas

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[16]
Kansas at-large New state New seat.
New member elected December 1, 1859 in advance of January 29, 1861 statehood.
Republican gain.
Close

Kansas Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

Kentucky

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Kentucky 1
Kentucky 2
Kentucky 3
Kentucky 4
Kentucky 5
Kentucky 6
Kentucky 7
Close

Louisiana

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[16]
Louisiana 1 George Eustis Jr. Know Nothing 1854 Incumbent retired.
Know Nothing hold.
Louisiana 2 Miles Taylor Democratic 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Miles Taylor (Democratic) 56.99%
  • L. D. Nichols (Know Nothing) 43.01%
Louisiana 3 Thomas G. Davidson Democratic 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
Louisiana 4 John M. Sandidge Democratic 1854 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Close

Maine

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Maine 1
Maine 2
Maine 3
Maine 4
Maine 5
Maine 6
Close

Maryland

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Maryland 1
Maryland 2
Maryland 3
Maryland 4
Maryland 5
Maryland 6
Close

Massachusetts

More information District, Incumbent ...
Close

Michigan

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[19]
Michigan 1 William A. Howard Republican 1854 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Election successfully contested.
Incumbent re-seated May 15, 1860.
Michigan 2 Henry Waldron Republican 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Henry Waldron (Republican) 59.11%
  • Consider A. Stacy (Democratic) 40.89%
Michigan 3 David S. Walbridge Republican 1854 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
Michigan 4 Dewitt C. Leach Republican 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Dewitt C. Leach (Republican) 51.97%
  • Robert W. Davis (Democratic) 48.03%
Close

Minnesota

Minnesota became a new state in 1858 having already elected its first two members at-large in October 1857 to finish the current term. The state then held elections to the next term October 4, 1859.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[16]
Minnesota at-large
2 seats
James M. Cavanaugh Democratic 1857 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Elected on a general ticket:
William Wallace Phelps Democratic 1857 Unknown if incumbent retired or lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Close

Mississippi

Elections held late, on October 3, 1859.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[16]
Mississippi 1 Lucius Q. C. Lamar Democratic 1857 Incumbent re-elected. Green tickY Lucius Q. C. Lamar (Democratic) 100%
Mississippi 2 Reuben Davis Democratic 1857 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Reuben Davis (Democratic) 94.49%
  • G. Q. Martin (Opposition) 5.51%
Mississippi 3 William Barksdale Democratic 1853 Incumbent re-elected. Green tickY William Barksdale (Democratic) 100%
Mississippi 4 Otho R. Singleton Democratic 1857 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Otho R. Singleton (Democratic) 77.19%
  • Franklin Smith (Unionist Democratic) 22.81%
Mississippi 5 John J. McRae Democratic 1858 (special) Incumbent re-elected. Green tickY John J. McRae (Democratic) 100%
Close

Missouri

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Missouri 1
Missouri 2
Missouri 3
Missouri 4
Missouri 5
Missouri 6
Missouri 7
Close

Nebraska Territory

See non-voting delegates, below.

New Hampshire

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
New Hampshire 1
New Hampshire 2
New Hampshire 3
Close

New Jersey

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
New Jersey 1
New Jersey 2
New Jersey 3
New Jersey 4
New Jersey 5
Close

New York

North Carolina

More information District, Incumbent ...
Close

Ohio

Ohio elected its members October 12, 1858, netting a 3-seat Republican gain.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[20][21]
Ohio 1 George H. Pendleton Democratic 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 2 William S. Groesbeck Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Ohio 3 Clement Vallandigham Democratic 1856[aa] Incumbent re-elected.
Ohio 4 Matthias H. Nichols Republican 1852 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Ohio 5 Richard Mott Republican 1854 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
Ohio 6 Joseph R. Cockerill Democratic 1856 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Ohio 7 Aaron Harlan Republican 1852 Incumbent lost renomination.
Republican hold.
  • Green tickY Thomas Corwin (Republican) 63.85%
  • Charles W. Blair (Democratic) 36.15%
Ohio 8 Benjamin Stanton Republican 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Benjamin Stanton (Republican) 59.52%
  • William Hubbard (Democratic) 40.48%
Ohio 9 Lawrence W. Hall Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Ohio 10 Joseph Miller Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Ohio 11 Albert C. Thompson Republican 1854 Incumbent retired.
Democratic gain.
Ohio 12 Samuel S. Cox Democratic 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Samuel S. Cox (Republican) 51.75%
  • Lucius Case (Democratic) 48.25%
Ohio 13 John Sherman Republican 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY John Sherman (Republican) 57.05%
  • S. J. Patrick (Democratic) 42.95%
Ohio 14 Philemon Bliss Republican 1854 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
Successor died May 31, 1859, leading to a special election.
  • Green tickY Cyrus Spink (Republican) 56.33%
  • J. P. Jeffries (Democratic) 43.67%
Ohio 15 Joseph Burns Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Ohio 16 Cydnor B. Tompkins Republican 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Cydnor B. Tompkins (Republican) 52.65%
  • George W. Manypenny (Democratic) 47.01%
  • Jonathan Swank (Independent) 0.34%[ab]
Ohio 17 William Lawrence Democratic 1856 Incumbent retired.
Republican gain.
Ohio 18 Benjamin F. Leiter Republican 1854 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
  • Green tickY Sidney Edgerton (Republican) 53.33%
  • J. L. Ranney (Democratic) 46.67%
Ohio 19 Edward Wade Republican 1852 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Edward Wade (Republican) 64.57%
  • J. W. Gray (Democratic) 34.69%
  • Irad Kelly (Independent) 0.75%[ab]
Ohio 20 Joshua Reed Giddings Republican 1843 Incumbent lost renomination.
Republican hold.
  • Green tickY John Hutchins (Republican) 62.8%
  • David Tod (Democratic) 34.27%
  • B. W. Richmond (Independent) 2.69%[ab]
  • Josuha R. Giddings (Unknown) 0.24%[ab]
Ohio 21 John Bingham Republican 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY John Bingham (Republican) 57.46%
  • Thomas Means (Democratic) 42.54%
Close

Oregon

35th Congress

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates
Oregon at-large New state New seat.
New member elected June 7, 1858.
Democratic gain.
Successor seated February 14, 1859.[7]
New member did not run for the next term.
Close

36th Congress

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[16]
Oregon at-large New state New seat.
Democratic hold.
New member did not run for the current term.
Close

Pennsylvania

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[21]
Pennsylvania 1 Thomas B. Florence Democratic 1850 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Thomas B. Florence (Democratic) 43.09%
  • John W. Ryan (People's) 41%
  • G. W. Nebinger (Anti-Lecompton Dem.) 15.42%
  • Marshall Sprogell (Know Nothing) 0.48%
Pennsylvania 2 Edward Joy Morris Republican
Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 3 James Landy Democratic 1850 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 4 Henry M. Phillips Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 5 Owen Jones Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 6 John Hickman Democratic 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY John Hickman (Anti-Lecompton Dem.) 40.76%
  • Charles D. Manly (Democratic) 31.15%
  • John M. Broomall (People's) 28.09%
Pennsylvania 7 Henry Chapman Democratic 1856 Incumbent retired.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 8 J. Glancy Jones Democratic Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 9 Anthony E. Roberts Republican 1854 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
Pennsylvania 10 John C. Kunkel Republican 1854 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
Pennsylvania 11 William L. Dewart Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 12 Paul Leidy Democratic 1857 (special) Incumbent retired.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 13 William H. Dimmick Democratic 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 14 Galusha A. Grow Republican 1850 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Galusha A. Grow (People's) 76.87%
  • Joel Parkhurst (Democratic) 23.13%
Pennsylvania 15 Allison White Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 16 John A. Ahl Democratic 1856 Incumbent retired.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 17 Wilson Reilly Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 18 John R. Edie Republican 1854 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
  • Green tickY Samuel S. Blair (People's) 57.71%
  • Cyrus L. Pershing (Democratic) 42.29%
Pennsylvania 19 John Covode Republican 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 20 William Montgomery Democratic 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
Pennsylvania 21 David Ritchie Republican 1852 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
Pennsylvania 22 Samuel A. Purviance Republican 1854 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
Pennsylvania 23 William Stewart Republican 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY William Stewart (People's) 64.02%
  • Jonathan N. McGuffin (Democratic) 35.98%
Pennsylvania 24 James L. Gillis Democratic 1856 Incumbent lost re-election.
Republican gain.
Pennsylvania 25 John Dick Republican 1852 Incumbent retired.
Republican hold.
  • Green tickY Elijah Babbitt (People's) 60.73%
  • James C. Crawford (Democratic) 39.27%
Close

Rhode Island

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[22]
Rhode Island 1 Nathan B. Durfee Republican 1855 Incumbent retired.
American/Republican gain.
Rhode Island 2 William D. Brayton Republican 1857 Incumbent re-elected.
Close

South Carolina

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[21]
South Carolina 1 John McQueen Democratic 1849 (special) Incumbent re-elected.

Incomplete Data

South Carolina 2 William P. Miles Democratic 1856 Incumbent re-elected.

Incomplete Data

South Carolina 3 Laurence M. Keitt Democratic 1853 (special) Incumbent re-elected.

Incomplete Data

South Carolina 4 Milledge L. Bonham Democratic 1857 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
South Carolina 5 James Lawrence Orr Democratic 1848 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
  • Green tickY John D. Ashmore (Democratic) 59.4%
  • Thomas O. Vernon (Unknown) 40.6%
South Carolina 6 William W. Boyce Democratic 1853 Incumbent re-elected.

Unopposed and incomplete data

Close

Tennessee

Elections held late, on August 4, 1859.

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[22]
Tennessee 1 Albert G. Watkins Democratic 1855 Incumbent retired.
Opposition gain.
Tennessee 2 Horace Maynard Know Nothing 1857 Incumbent re-elected as an Oppositionist.
Opposition gain.
  • Green tickY Horace Maynard (Opposition) 55.01%
  • I. C. Ramsay (Democratic) 44.99%
Tennessee 3 Samuel A. Smith Democratic 1853 Incumbent lost re-election.
Opposition gain.
Tennessee 4 John H. Savage Democratic 1855 Incumbent lost re-election.
Opposition gain.
Tennessee 5 Charles Ready Know Nothing 1853 Incumbent lost re-election as an independent.
Opposition gain.
Tennessee 6 George W. Jones Democratic 1842 Incumbent retired.
Democratic hold.
Tennessee 7 John V. Wright Democratic 1855 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY John V. Wright (Democratic) 77.58%
  • Theodore H. Gibbs (Opposition) 22.42%
Tennessee 8 Felix Zollicoffer Know Nothing 1853 Incumbent retired.
Opposition gain.
Tennessee 9 John D. C. Atkins Democratic 1857 Incumbent lost re-election.
Opposition gain.
Tennessee 10 William T. Avery Democratic 1857 Incumbent re-elected.
Close

Texas

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[23]
Texas 1 John H. Reagan Democratic 1857 Incumbent re-elected.
Texas 2 Guy M. Bryan Democratic 1857 Incumbent retired.
Independent Democratic gain.
Close

Vermont

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[24]
Vermont 1 E. P. Walton Republican 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY E. P. Walton (Republican) 73.5%
  • Charles G. Eastman (Democratic) 26.0%
Vermont 2 Justin S. Morrill Republican 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
Vermont 3 Homer E. Royce Republican 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Homer E. Royce (Republican) 69.3%
  • William H. H. Bingham (Democratic) 30.6%
Close

Virginia

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[25]
Virginia 1 Muscoe R. H. Garnett Democratic 1856 (special) Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 2 John Millson Democratic 1849 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY John Millson (Democratic) 62.7%
  • [FNU] Pretlow (Opposition) 30.1%
  • [FNU] Chandler (Opposition) 5.2%
  • [FNU] Sykes (Opposition) 2.0%
Virginia 3 John Caskie Democratic 1851 Incumbent lost re-election.
Independent Democratic gain.
Virginia 4 William Goode Democratic
Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY William Goode (Democratic) 63.8%
  • William C. Flournoy (Ind. Democratic) 36.2%
Virginia 5 Thomas S. Bocock Democratic 1847 Incumbent re-elected.
  • Green tickY Thomas S. Bocock (Democratic) 88.8%
  • [FNU] Speed (Unknown) 9.9%
  • [FNU] Boisseau (Unknown) 1.4%
Virginia 6 Paulus Powell Democratic 1849 Incumbent lost re-election.
Independent Democratic gain.
Virginia 7 William Smith Democratic Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 8 Charles J. Faulkner Democratic 1851 Incumbent lost re-election.
Opposition gain.
Virginia 9 John Letcher Democratic 1851 Incumbent retired.
Independent Democratic gain.
  • Green tickY John T. Harris (Ind. Democratic) 52.2%
  • James H. Skinner (Democratic) 47.8%
Virginia 10 Sherrard Clemens Democratic Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 11 Albert G. Jenkins Democratic 1857 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 12 Henry A. Edmundson Democratic 1849 Incumbent re-elected.
Virginia 13 George W. Hopkins Democratic
Incumbent retired.
Independent Democratic gain.
Close

Wisconsin

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Member Party First elected Results Candidates[26]
Wisconsin 1 John F. Potter Republican 1856 Incumbent re-elected.
Wisconsin 2 Cadwallader C. Washburn Republican 1854 Incumbent re-elected.
Wisconsin 3 Charles Billinghurst Republican 1854 Incumbent lost re-election.
Democratic gain.
Close

Non-voting delegates

More information District, Incumbent ...
District Incumbent This race
Delegate Party First elected Results Candidates
Kansas Marcus J. Parrott Republican 1856 or 1857 Incumbent re-elected in 1859.
Nebraska Fenner Ferguson Independent Democratic 1857 Incumbent retired.
New delegate elected October 11, 1859.[28]
Democratic gain.
Election was later overturned due to a successful challenge by the loser.
Close

See also

Notes

  1. Regular elections, not specials
  2. Includes two elected as Lecompton Democrats.
  3. Also known as the Whigs in North Carolina[3]
  4. There was only one Whig candidate during the 1856-1857 period, who earned twenty-three votes.
  5. Included one Independent Democrat or "Benton" Democrat: Francis Preston Blair Jr. of Missouri.
  6. Includes five Anti-Lecompton Democrats, seven Independent Democrats, and three Anti-Administration Democrats.
  7. Includes votes for those who ran labeled as an Independent, Union Democrat, Anti-Administration Democrat, Anti-Lecompton Democrat, and Independent Democrat.
  8. New state. Representative seated February 14, 1859.
  9. In January 1845, Congress mandated a uniform date for choosing Presidential electors.[6] Gradually, states brought other elections into conformity with this date.
  10. New state. Representative seated January 29, 1861.
  11. An increase of one seat for the new state of Oregon. (See 11 Stat. 383 and United States congressional apportionment.)
  12. The Guide to U.S. Elections gives 87.0%
  13. The Guide to U.S. Elections gives 13.0%
  14. The Guide to U.S. Elections gives 70.3%
  15. The Guide to U.S. Elections gives 16.3%
  16. The Guide to U.S. Elections gives 13.4%
  17. The Political Text-Book for 1860 gives 61.4% and 38.6% for the candidates
  18. Contested election
  19. Not mentioned by Smith

References

Bibliography

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