1998 Texas House of Representatives election

The 1998 Texas House of Representatives elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Texas voters elected state representatives in all 150 State House of Representatives districts. The winners of this election served in the 76th Texas Legislature. State representatives serve for two-year terms. Republicans gained four seats from the Democrats, reducing the Democratic majority to 78 out of 150 seats.

Background Democrats had held control of the Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction despite Republicans winning the governorship in 1994 and the Texas Senate in 1996. Democrats faced difficulties from the top of the ticket due to the popular Republican governor George W. Bush running for reelection. Republicans sought to use Bush's coattails to gain several seats in the Texas House, increasing their chances of winning control of the chamber in 2000 ahead of the redistricting that would occur the following year.

Redistricting Democrats had fully controlled the redistricting process in 1991, and Republicans sued over the Texas House's map. The courts partially overhauled the map as a result of these lawsuits. Democrats codified the court's map into law in a January 1992 special session. The 1995 lawsuit Thomas v. Bush further altered the maps, as the courts reached a settlement with the legislature to alter some districts for the 1996 elections. These changes, plus minor alterations to districts in Williamson County and Jefferson County, were passed into law for the 1998 election.Bickerstaff, Heath 2020, p. 127

Results Republicans flipped four seats from the Democrats, failing to take control of the chamber but further narrowing the Democratic majority.

Statewide +Summary of the November 3, 1998 Texas House of Representatives election resultsPartyCandidatesVotes %Seats+/–Democratic Party971,289,27541.29%784Republican Party1051,827,84358.54%724Libertarian Party34,4730.14%0–Write-in15750.02%0–Total3,122,166100.00%150–

Close races

Results by district DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResultVotes%Votes%Votes%Votes% District 118,237100.00% - - - -18,237100.00%Democratic hold District 217,09654.94%14,02345.06% - -31,119100.00%Democratic hold District 315,81356.98%11,93743.02% - -27,750100.00%Democratic hold District 413,01046.69%14,85353.31% - -27,863100.00%Republican gain District 515,01556.17%11,71643.83% - -26,731100.00%Democratic hold District 6 - -23,744100.00% - -23,744100.00%Republican hold District 7 - -18,395100.00% - -18,395100.00%Republican hold District 817,49661.56%10,92638.44% - -28,422100.00%Democratic hold District 912,13542.16%16,64657.84% - -28,781100.00%Republican hold District 10 - -20,162100.00% - -20,162100.00%Republican hold District 11 - -18,863100.00% - -18,863100.00%Republican hold District 1218,49762.75%10,97937.25% - -29,476100.00%Democratic hold District 1315,40649.00%16,03451.00% - -31,440100.00%Republican gain District 14 - -16,721100.00% - -16,721100.00%Republican hold District 1511,16330.40%25,55869.60% - -36,721100.00%Republican hold District 16 - -21,51397.40%5752.60%22,088100.00%Republican hold District 1718,77163.61%10,73736.39% - -29,508100.00%Democratic hold District 1815,30451.33%14,51148.67% - -29,815100.00%Democratic hold District 1921,860100.00% - - - -21,860100.00%Democratic hold District 2016,57956.05%13,00043.95% - -29,579100.00%Democratic hold District 2118,25253.14%16,09646.86% - -34,348100.00%Democratic hold District 2220,229100.00% - - - -20,229100.00%Democratic hold District 2314,45255.98%11,36444.02% - -25,816100.00%Democratic hold District 2416,55858.34%11,82341.66% - -28,381100.00%Democratic hold District 25 - -23,882100.00% - -23,882100.00%Republican hold District 26 - -29,495100.00% - -29,495100.00%Republican hold District 2715,001100.00% - - - -15,001100.00%Democratic hold District 2820,89064.62%11,43935.38% - -32,329100.00%Democratic hold District 2914,88665.30%7,91034.70% - -22,796100.00%Democratic hold District 3014,49447.26%16,17652.74% - -30,670100.00%Republican hold District 3119,989100.00% - - - -19,989100.00%Democratic hold District 32 - -23,318100.00% - -23,318100.00%Republican hold District 3315,04470.27%6,36429.73% - -21,408100.00%Democratic hold District 3414,01467.37%6,78732.63% - -20,801100.00%Democratic hold District 3515,971100.00% - - - -15,971100.00%Democratic hold District 368,781100.00% - - - -8,781100.00%Democratic hold District 378,390100.00% - - - -8,390100.00%Democratic hold District 389,872100.00% - - - -9,872100.00%Democratic hold District 396,719100.00% - - - -6,719100.00%Democratic hold District 407,659100.00% - - - -7,659100.00%Democratic hold District 418,951100.00% - - - -8,951100.00%Democratic hold District 4212,402100.00% - - - -12,402100.00%Democratic hold District 4317,622100.00% - - - -17,622100.00%Democratic hold District 4413,59652.79%12,15747.21% - -25,753100.00%Democratic hold District 45 - -27,994100.00% - -27,994100.00%Republican hold District 4615,03949.94%15,07550.06% - -30,114100.00%Republican gain District 47 - -46,745100.00% - -46,745100.00%Republican hold District 4824,257100.00% - - - -24,257100.00%Democratic hold District 4919,07463.25%11,08236.75% - -30,156100.00%Democratic hold District 5018,726100.00% - - - -18,726100.00%Democratic hold District 5113,58473.42%4,91926.58% - -18,503100.00%Democratic hold District 52 - -33,465100.00% - -33,465100.00%Republican hold District 53 - -37,257100.00% - -37,257100.00%Republican hold District 549,86645.22%11,95454.78% - -21,820100.00%Republican hold District 55 - -14,916100.00% - -14,916100.00%Republican hold District 568,61830.78%19,38469.22% - -28,002100.00%Republican hold District 5715,073100.00% - - - -15,073100.00%Democratic hold District 5811,58540.60%16,94859.40% - -28,533100.00%Republican hold District 5911,65154.46%9,74145.54% - -21,392100.00%Democratic hold District 60 - -23,348100.00% - -23,348100.00%Republican hold District 6111,62635.42%21,20064.58% - -32,826100.00%Republican hold District 629,45433.86%18,46966.14% - -27,923100.00%Republican hold District 638,71625.64%25,27674.36% - -33,992100.00%Republican hold District 64 - -23,726100.00% - -23,726100.00%Republican hold District 65 - -17,625100.00% - -17,625100.00%Republican hold District 66 - -31,432100.00% - -31,432100.00%Republican hold District 67 - -26,521100.00% - -26,521100.00%Republican hold District 6814,59749.56%14,85450.44% - -29,451100.00%Republican gain District 6914,20756.07%11,13043.93% - -25,337100.00%Democratic hold District 7014,18853.75%12,20846.25% - -26,396100.00%Democratic hold District 71 - -22,138100.00% - -22,138100.00%Republican hold District 7219,97573.60%7,16526.40% - -27,140100.00%Democratic hold District 7318,43851.78%17,17048.22% - -35,608100.00%Democratic hold District 7416,293100.00% - - - -16,293100.00%Democratic hold District 7511,82273.24%4,32026.76% - -16,142100.00%Democratic hold District 7615,586100.00% - - - -15,586100.00%Democratic hold District 7711,573100.00% - - - -11,573100.00%Democratic hold District 789,48035.22%17,43664.78% - -26,916100.00%Republican hold District 7913,263100.00% - - - -13,263100.00%Democratic hold District 80 - -16,249100.00% - -16,249100.00%Republican hold District 81 - -15,420100.00% - -15,420100.00%Republican hold District 82 - -22,086100.00% - -22,086100.00%Republican hold District 83 - -13,053100.00% - -13,053100.00%Republican hold District 84 - -26,189100.00% - -26,189100.00%Republican hold District 8517,75173.47%6,41026.53% - -24,161100.00%Democratic hold District 86 - -25,887100.00% - -25,887100.00%Republican hold District 87 - -15,848100.00% - -15,848100.00%Republican hold District 88 - -22,852100.00% - -22,852100.00%Republican hold District 898,06637.61%13,37862.39% - -21,444100.00%Republican hold District 908,990100.00% - - - -8,990100.00%Democratic hold District 91 - -19,142100.00% - -19,142100.00%Republican hold District 92 - -19,515100.00% - -19,515100.00%Republican hold District 93 - -13,054100.00% - -13,054100.00%Republican hold District 94 - -22,580100.00% - -22,580100.00%Republican hold District 9518,742100.00% - - - -18,742100.00%Democratic hold District 96 - -21,515100.00% - -21,515100.00%Republican hold District 97 - -27,590100.00% - -27,590100.00%Republican hold District 987,36223.54%23,91076.46% - -31,272100.00%Republican hold District 99 - -20,644100.00% - -20,644100.00%Republican hold District 10011,592100.00% - - - -11,592100.00%Democratic hold District 101 - -15,007100.00% - -15,007100.00%Republican hold District 102 - -19,117100.00% - -19,117100.00%Republican hold District 1037,898100.00% - - - -7,898100.00%Democratic hold District 1045,68270.62%2,36429.38% - -8,046100.00%Democratic hold District 1058,794100.00% - - - -8,794100.00%Democratic hold District 1066,80436.04%12,07663.96% - -18,880100.00%Republican hold District 10710,15259.26%6,98040.74% - -17,132100.00%Democratic hold District 108 - -27,220100.00% - -27,220100.00%Republican hold District 10914,667100.00% - - - -14,667100.00%Democratic hold District 11017,790100.00% - - - -17,790100.00%Democratic hold District 11116,215100.00% - - - -16,215100.00%Democratic hold District 112 - -18,748100.00% - -18,748100.00%Republican hold District 113 - -16,911100.00% - -16,911100.00%Republican hold District 114 - -20,782100.00% - -20,782100.00%Republican hold District 11510,943100.00% - - - -10,943100.00%Democratic hold District 11611,378100.00% - - - -11,378100.00%Democratic hold District 1178,219100.00% - - - -8,219100.00%Democratic hold District 1189,878100.00% - - - -9,878100.00%Democratic hold District 11912,104100.00% - - - -12,104100.00%Democratic hold District 12011,945100.00% - - - -11,945100.00%Democratic hold District 121 - -22,974100.00% - -22,974100.00%Republican hold District 122 - -28,763100.00% - -28,763100.00%Republican hold District 123 - -26,380100.00% - -26,380100.00%Republican hold District 12412,472100.00% - - - -12,472100.00%Democratic hold District 12511,440100.00% - - - -11,440100.00%Democratic hold District 126 - -25,914100.00% - -25,914100.00%Republican hold District 127 - -21,427100.00% - -21,427100.00%Republican hold District 1289,13562.61%5,45537.39% - -14,590100.00%Democratic hold District 1297,86327.64%20,08670.62%4941.74%28,443100.00%Republican hold District 130 - -26,059100.00% - -26,059100.00%Republican hold District 13116,183100.00% - - - -16,183100.00%Democratic hold District 13218,559100.00% - - - -18,559100.00%Democratic hold District 133 - -23,734100.00% - -23,734100.00%Republican hold District 1348,90639.70%13,52760.30% - -22,433100.00%Republican hold District 135 - -21,151100.00% - -21,151100.00%Republican hold District 136 - -26,67892.06%2,3017.94%28,979100.00%Republican hold District 13711,35963.07%6,65036.93% - -18,009100.00%Democratic hold District 13810,27450.46%10,08849.54% - -20,362100.00%Democratic hold District 13912,068100.00% - - - -12,068100.00%Democratic hold District 1406,547100.00% - - - -6,547100.00%Democratic hold District 14115,462100.00% - - - -15,462100.00%Democratic hold District 14214,183100.00% - - - -14,183100.00%Democratic hold District 1437,50672.24%2,88427.76% - -10,390100.00%Democratic hold District 144 - -12,26587.97%1,67812.03%13,943100.00%Republican hold District 1456,40567.12%3,13732.88% - -9,542100.00%Democratic hold District 14617,37475.95%5,50124.05% - -22,875100.00%Democratic hold District 14713,081100.00% - - - -13,081100.00%Democratic hold District 1488,641100.00% - - - -8,641100.00%Democratic hold District 149 - -10,384100.00% - -10,384100.00%Republican hold District 150 - -19,632100.00% - -19,632100.00%Republican holdTotal1,289,27541.29%1,827,84358.54%4,4730.16%3,122,166100.00%

References