1980 United States House of Representatives elections

The 1980 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for the United States House of Representatives on November 4, 1980, to elect members to serve in the 97th United States Congress. They coincided with the election of Ronald Reagan as president, defeating Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter. Reagan's victory also allowed many Republican House candidates to secure elections. The Republicans gained a net of 35 seats from the Democratic Party. The Democrats nonetheless retained a significant majority, unlike the Senate elections, where Republicans gained control of the chamber. However, many Democratic congressmen from the South (known as "Boll weevils") frequently took conservative stances on issues, allowing Republicans to have a working ideological majority for some of President Reagan's proposals during his first two years in office.

This election marked the first time since Reconstruction that Republicans won a sizable majority of Representatives from a Deep South state (South Carolina). It was also the first time that the new Libertarian Party received the third-largest share of the popular vote in both chambers of Congress. , this is the last time that Republicans won a majority of seats in the Minnesota delegation. This is the earliest House election with currently serving members, those being Chris Smith and Hal Rogers.

Overall results 398 incumbent members sought reelection, but 6 were defeated in primaries and 31 defeated in the general election for a total of 358 incumbents winning.

Summary of the November 4, 1980, United States House of Representatives election results + ↓ 242 1 1 191 Democratic I C Republican

Parties Seats Popular vote 1978 1980 +/- Strength Vote % Change Democratic Party 277 242 35 55.9% 39,347,947 50.5% 3.2% Republican Party 157 191 34 43.9% 37,222,588 47.8% 3.0% Libertarian Party 0 0 0.0% 568,131 0.7% 0.6% Independent 0 1 1 0.0% 216,403 0.3% 0.3% Conservative Party 1 1 0.2% 136,967 0.1% 0.1% Citizens Party 0 0 0.0% 60,390 0.1% 0.1% Right to Life Party 0 0 0.0% 54,142 0.1% 0.1% Peace and Freedom Party 0 0 0.0% 45,281 0.1% Others 0 0 0.0% 222,068 0.3% 0.3%Total 435 435 0 100.0% 77,873,917 100.0% - Source: Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk

Special elections

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1980 or before January 3, 1981; ordered by election date.

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Abner Mikva Democratic 19681972 1974 Incumbent resigned September 26, 1979, to become Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals.New member elected January 22, 1980.Republican gain.Winner was subsequently re-elected in November; see below. Dan Flood Democratic 19441946 19481952 1954 Incumbent resigned January 31, 1980, after being censured by the U.S. House.New member elected April 9, 1980.Democratic hold.Winner subsequently lost re-election in November; see below. Dave Treen Republican 1972 Incumbent resigned March 10, 1980, to become Governor of Louisiana.New member elected May 17, 1980.Democratic gain.Winner was subsequently re-elected in November; see below. John Slack Democratic 1958 Incumbent died March 17, 1980.New Member elected June 3, 1980.Democratic hold.Winner subsequently lost re-election in November; see below. Charles Diggs Democratic 1954 Incumbent resigned June 3, 1980, after being censured by the U.S. House.New member elected November 4, 1980.Democratic hold.Winner also elected to the next term; see below.

Alabama

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Jack Edwards Republican 1964 Incumbent re-elected. William L. 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. John Hall Buchanan Jr. Republican 1964 Incumbent lost renomination.Republican hold. Richard Shelby Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected.

Alaska

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Don Young Republican 1973 Incumbent re-elected.

American Samoa See Non-voting delegates, below.

Arizona

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected John Jacob Rhodes Republican 1952 Incumbent re-elected. Mo Udall Democratic 1961 Incumbent re-elected. Bob Stump Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Eldon Rudd Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected.

Arkansas

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Bill Alexander Democratic 1968 Incumbent re-elected. Ed Bethune Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. John Paul Hammerschmidt Republican 1966 Incumbent re-elected. Beryl Anthony Jr. Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected.

California

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Harold T. Johnson Democratic 1958 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. Donald H. Clausen Republican 1963 Incumbent re-elected. Bob Matsui Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Vic Fazio Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. John L. Burton Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Phillip Burton Democratic 1964 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. William Royer Republican 1979 Incumbent lost re-election.Democratic gain. Pete McCloskey Republican 1967 Incumbent re-elected. Norman Mineta Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Norman D. 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. Bill Thomas Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Bob Lagomarsino Republican 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Barry Goldwater Jr. Republican 1969 Incumbent re-elected. James C. Corman Democratic 1960 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. 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. John H. Rousselot Republican 19601962 1970 Incumbent re-elected. Bob Dornan Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Julian Dixon Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Augustus Hawkins Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected. George E. Danielson Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected. Charles H. Wilson Democratic 1962 Incumbent lost renomination.Democratic hold. Glenn M. Anderson Democratic 1968 Incumbent re-elected. Wayne R. Grisham Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Dan Lungren Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. James F. Lloyd Democratic 1974 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. George Brown Jr. Democratic 19621970 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Jerry Lewis Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Jerry M. Patterson Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. William E. Dannemeyer Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Robert Badham Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Bob Wilson Republican 1952 Incumbent retired.Republican hold. Lionel Van Deerlin Democratic 1962 Incumbent lost re-election.Republican gain. Clair Burgener Republican 1972 Incumbent re-elected.

Colorado

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Pat Schroeder Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Tim Wirth Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Ray Kogovsek Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. James Paul Johnson Republican 1972 Incumbent retired.Republican hold. Ken Kramer Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected.

Connecticut

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected William R. Cotter Democratic 1970 Incumbent re-elected. Chris Dodd Democratic 1974 Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator.Democratic hold. Robert Giaimo Democratic 1958 Incumbent retired.Republican gain. Stewart McKinney Republican 1970 Incumbent re-elected. William R. Ratchford Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Toby Moffett Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected.

Delaware

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Thomas B. Evans Jr. Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected.

District of Columbia See Non-voting delegates, below.

Florida

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected 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. Richard Kelly Republican 1974 Incumbent lost renomination.Republican hold. Bill Young Republican 1970 Incumbent re-elected. Sam Gibbons Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected. Andy Ireland Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Bill Nelson Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Skip Bafalis Republican 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Dan Mica Democratic 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Edward J. Stack Democratic 1978 Incumbent lost renomination.Republican gain. William Lehman Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Claude Pepper Democratic 1962 Incumbent re-elected. Dante Fascell Democratic 1954 Incumbent re-elected.

Georgia

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Ronald "Bo" Ginn Democratic 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Dawson Mathis Democratic 1970 Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator.Democratic hold. Jack Brinkley Democratic 1966 Incumbent re-elected. Elliott H. Levitas Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Wyche Fowler Democratic 1977 Incumbent re-elected. Newt Gingrich Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Larry McDonald Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Billy Lee Evans Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Ed Jenkins Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Doug Barnard Jr. Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected.

Hawaii

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Cecil Heftel Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected. Daniel Akaka Democratic 1976 Incumbent re-elected.

Guam See Non-voting delegates, below.

Idaho

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Steve Symms Republican 1972 Incumbent retired to run for U.S. Senator.Republican hold. George V. Hansen Republican 19641968 1974 Incumbent re-elected.

Illinois

District Incumbent Results Candidates Member Party Firstelected Bennett Stewart Democratic 1978 Incumbent lost renomination.Democratic hold. Morgan F. Murphy Democratic 1970 Incumbent retired.Democratic hold. Marty Russo Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Ed Derwinski Republican 1958 Incumbent re-elected. John G. Fary Democratic 1975 Incumbent re-elected. Henry Hyde Republican 1974 Incumbent re-elected. Cardiss Collins Democratic 1973 Incumbent re-elected. Dan Rostenkowski Democratic 1958 Incumbent re-elected. Sidney R. Yates Democratic 19481962 1964 Incumbent re-elected. John Porter Republican 1980 Incumbent re-elected. Frank Annunzio Democratic 1964 Incumbent re-elected. Phil Crane Republican 1969 Incumbent re-elected. Robert McClory Republican 1962 Incumbent re-elected. John N. Erlenborn Republican 1964 Incumbent re-elected. Tom Corcoran Republican 1976 Incumbent re-elected. John B. Anderson Republican 1960 Incumbent retired to run for U.S. President.Republican hold. George M. O'Brien Republican 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Robert H. Michel Republican 1956 Incumbent re-elected. Tom Railsback Republican 1966 Incumbent re-elected. Paul Findley Republican 1960 Incumbent re-elected. Ed Madigan Republican 1972 Incumbent re-elected. Dan Crane Republican 1978 Incumbent re-elected. Melvin Price Democratic 1944 Incumbent re-elected. Paul Simon Democratic 1974 Incumbent re-elected.

Indiana