The 1984 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for the United States House of Representatives on November 6, 1984, to elect members to serve in the 99th United States Congress. They coincided with the re-election of President Ronald Reagan in a landslide. This victory also yielded gains for Reagan's Republican Party in the House, where they picked up a net of sixteen seats from the Democratic Party. Despite Reagan's extremely large electoral victory, the Democrats nonetheless retained a commanding majority in the House and actually gained seats in the Senate. These elections were the last to date where a member of a party other than the Democrats, Republicans, or an independent won one or more seats in the chamber.
This would be the last time for eight years that the Democrats experienced a net loss of seats in the House.
Overall results 411 incumbent members sought reelection, but 3 were defeated in primaries and 16 defeated in the general election for a total of 392 incumbents winning.
+ ↓ 253 1 181 Democratic Republican
Party Seats Seatpercentage Votepercentage Popularvote Lastelection(1982) Thiselection Netchange Democratic Party 269 253 16 58.2% 52.1% 42,973,494 Republican Party 165 181 16 41.6% 47.0% 38,642,646 Libertarian Party 0 0 0.0% 0.3% 275,865 Independent 0 0 0.0% 0.2% 121,187 Conservative Party 1 1 0.2% 0.1% 117,872 Peace and Freedom Party 0 0 0.0% 0.1% 61,543 Others 0 0 0.0% 0.3% 229,231 Total 435 435 0 100.0% 100.0% 82,421,838Source: Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk
Retiring incumbents Twenty-two representatives retired. Sixteen of those seats were held by the same party, six seats changed party.
Democrats Nine Democrats retired. Four of those seats were held by Democrats and five were won by Republicans.
Democratic held : Paul Simon: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by Kenneth J. Gray. : James Shannon: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by Chester G. Atkins. : Geraldine Ferraro: to run for Vice President. Was succeeded by Thomas Manton. : Al Gore: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by Bart Gordon.
Republican gain : Ray Kogovsek. Was succeeded by Michael L. Strang. : Tom Harkin: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by Jim Ross Lightfoot. : Norman D'Amours: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by Bob Smith. : Richard Ottinger. Was succeeded by Joe DioGuardi. : Kent Hance: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by Larry Combest.
Republicans Thirteen Republicans retired. Twelve of those seats were held by Republicans and one was won by a Democrat.
Republican held : Jack Edwards. Was succeeded by Sonny Callahan. : John N. Erlenborn. Was succeeded by Harris Fawell. : Tom Corcoran: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by John E. Grotberg. : Larry Winn. Was succeeded by Jan Meyers. : Harold S. Sawyer. Was succeeded by Paul B. Henry. : Barber Conable. Was succeeded by Fred J. Eckert. : James G. Martin: to run for Governor of North Carolina. Was succeeded by Alex McMillan. : Phil Gramm: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by Joe Barton. : Ron Paul: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by Tom DeLay. : David Daniel Marriott: to run for Governor of Utah. Was succeeded by David Smith Monson. : J. Kenneth Robinson. Was succeeded by D. French Slaughter Jr. : Joel Pritchard. Was succeeded by John Miller.
Democratic gain : Ed Bethune: to run for U.S. Senate. Was succeeded by Tommy F. Robinson.
Defeated incumbents
In primary election
Democrats Three Democrats lost renomination.
: Katie Hall lost to challenger Pete Visclosky. : Frank Harrison lost to challenger Paul Kanjorski. : Abraham Kazen lost to challenger Albert Bustamante.
In the general election
Democrats Thirteen Democrats lost re-election.
: James F. McNulty Jr. lost to Jim Kolbe. : Jerry M. Patterson lost to Bob Dornan. : William R. Ratchford lost to John G. Rowland. : Elliott H. Levitas lost to Pat Swindall. : Clarence Long lost to Helen Delich Bentley. : Donald J. Albosta lost to Bill Schuette. : Joseph Minish lost to Dean Gallo. : Ike Franklin Andrews lost to Bill Cobey. : Charles Robin Britt lost to Howard Coble. : James M. Clarke lost to Bill Hendon. : Jack Hightower lost to Beau Boulter. : Bill Patman lost to Mac Sweeney. : Tom Vandergriff lost to Dick Armey.
Republicans Three Republicans lost re-election.
: George V. Hansen lost to Richard H. Stallings. : Dan Crane lost to Terry L. Bruce. : Lyle Williams lost to Jim Traficant.
Special elections There were three special elections to the 98th Congress in 1984, two of which were held on the same day as the general election for the next term.
Elections are sorted here by date then district.
District Incumbent Party Firstelected Result Candidates Clement Zablocki Democratic 1948 Incumbent died December 2, 1983.New member elected April 3, 1984.Democratic hold.Winner was subsequently re-elected in November. Carl D. Perkins Democratic 1948 Incumbent died August 3, 1984.New member elected November 6, 1984.Democratic hold.Winner was also elected to the next term the same day. Edwin B. Forsythe Republican 1970 Incumbent died March 29, 1984.New member elected November 6, 1984. Republican hold.Winner was also elected to the next term the same day.
Alabama
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Jack Edwards Republican 1964 Incumbent retired.Republican hold. Bill Dickinson Republican 1964 Incumbent re-elected. Bill Nichols Democratic 1966 Incumbent re-elected. Tom Bevill Democratic 1966 Incumbent re-elected. Ronnie Flippo Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Ben Erdreich Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Richard Shelby Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected.
Alaska
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Don Young Republican 1973 Incumbent re-elected.
Arizona
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates John McCain Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Mo Udall Democratic 1961 Incumbent re-elected. Bob Stump Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Eldon Rudd Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Jim McNulty Democratic 1982 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain.
Arkansas
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Bill Alexander Democratic 1968 Incumbent re-elected. Ed Bethune Republican 1978 Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator.Democratic gain. John Paul Hammerschmidt Republican 1966 Incumbent re-elected. Beryl Anthony Jr. Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected.
California
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Douglas H. Bosco Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Eugene A. Chappie Republican 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Bob Matsui Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Vic Fazio Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Sala Burton Democratic 1983 Incumbent re-elected. Barbara Boxer Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. George Miller Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Ron Dellums Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected. Pete Stark Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Don Edwards Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected. Tom Lantos Democratic 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Ed Zschau Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Norman Mineta Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Norm Shumway Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Tony Coelho Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Leon Panetta Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Chip Pashayan Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Rick Lehman Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Bob Lagomarsino Republican 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Bill Thomas Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Bobbi Fiedler Republican 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Carlos Moorhead Republican 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Anthony Beilenson Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Henry Waxman Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Edward R. Roybal Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected. Howard Berman Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Mel Levine Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Julian Dixon Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Augustus Hawkins Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected. Matthew G. Martínez Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Mervyn Dymally Democratic 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Glenn M. Anderson Democratic 1968 Incumbent re-elected. David Dreier Republican 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Esteban Torres Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Jerry Lewis Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. George Brown Jr. Democratic 19621970 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Al McCandless Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Jerry M. Patterson Democratic 1974 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. Bill Dannemeyer Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Robert Badham Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Bill Lowery Republican 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Dan Lungren Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Ron Packard Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Jim Bates Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Duncan L. Hunter Republican 1980 Incumbent re-elected.
Colorado
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Pat Schroeder Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Tim Wirth Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Ray Kogovsek Democratic 1978 Incumbent retired.Republican gain. Hank Brown Republican 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Ken Kramer Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Daniel Schaefer Republican 1983 Incumbent re-elected.
Connecticut
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Barbara B. Kennelly Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Sam Gejdenson Democratic 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Bruce Morrison Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Stewart McKinney Republican 1970 Incumbent re-elected. William R. Ratchford Democratic 1978 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. Nancy Johnson Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected.
Delaware
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Tom Carper Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected.
Florida
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Earl Hutto Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Don Fuqua Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected. Charles E. Bennett Democratic 1948 Incumbent re-elected. Bill Chappell Democratic 1968 Incumbent re-elected. Bill McCollum Republican 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Buddy MacKay Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Sam Gibbons Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected. Bill Young Republican 1970 Incumbent re-elected. Michael Bilirakis Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Andy Ireland Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-electedas a Republican.Republican gain. Bill Nelson Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Tom Lewis Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Connie Mack III Republican 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Dan Mica Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Clay Shaw Republican 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Lawrence J. Smith Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. William Lehman Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Claude Pepper Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected. Dante Fascell Democratic 1954 Incumbent re-elected.
Georgia
District Incumbent This race Representative Party First elected Results Candidates Lindsay Thomas Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Charles Hatcher Democratic 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Richard Ray Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Elliott H. Levitas Democratic 1974 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. Wyche Fowler Democratic 1977 Incumbent re-elected. Newt Gingrich Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. George Darden Democratic 1983 Incumbent re-elected. J. Roy Rowland Democratic 1982 Incumbent re-elected. Ed Jenkins Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Doug Barnard Jr. Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected.
Hawaii