The 1886 United States House of Representatives elections were held for the most part on November 2, 1886, with three states holding theirs early between June and September. They occurred in the middle of President Grover Cleveland's first term. Elections were held for 325 seats of the United States House of Representatives, representing 38 states, to serve in the 50th United States Congress. Special elections were also held throughout the year.
As in many midterm elections, the President's party lost seats to the opposition, in this case, Democrats lost seats to Republicans, although a narrow majority was retained. Many of these Republican pickups were in the industrializing Midwest states, where the debate over tariffs, which were advocated by Republicans to protect domestic industry but opposed by Democrats to allow for free agricultural trade, led to political change. The small Labor Party, supported by industrial workers, gained one seat each in Virginia and Wisconsin, while the Greenback Party maintained its one seat in Iowa (James B. Weaver). One Independent was also elected in North Carolina.
Election summaries
There were 2 Labor and 1 Independent members elected, and 1 Greenback member re-elected. The previous election saw just the Greenback elected.
Special elections
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! | Lewis Beach | | Democratic | 1880 | | Incumbent died August 10, 1886.New member elected November 2, 1886.Democratic hold.Successor also elected the same day to the next term, see below. | nowrap |
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! | Joseph Rankin | | Democratic | 1882 | | Incumbent died January 24, 1886.New member elected February 23, 1886.Democratic hold. | nowrap |
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Election dates
In all the states except three, elections were held November 2, 1886. Those three states, with 7 seats among them, held elections:
June 7, 1886: Oregon
September 7, 1886: Vermont
September 10, 1886: Maine
Alabama
Arkansas
Arizona Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
California
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! | Barclay Henley | | Democratic | 1882 | | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Democratic hold | nowrap |
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! | James A. Louttit | | Republican | 1884 | | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
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! | Joseph McKenna | | Republican | 1884 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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! | William W. Morrow | | Republican | 1884 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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! | Charles N. Felton | | Republican | 1884 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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! | Henry Markham | | Republican | 1884 | | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold | nowrap |
|}
Colorado
Connecticut
Dakota Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Delaware
Florida
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! | Robert H. M. Davidson | | Democratic | 1876 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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! | Charles Dougherty | | Democratic | 1884 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|}
Georgia
Idaho Territory
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
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! | Robert T. Davis | | Republican | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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! | John Davis Long | | Republican | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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! | Ambrose A. Ranney | | Republican | 1880 | | Incumbent lost re-election.New member elected.Democratic gain. | nowrap |
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! | Patrick A. Collins | | Democratic | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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! | Edward D. Hayden | | Republican | 1884 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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! | Henry B. Lovering | | Democratic | 1882 | | Incumbent lost re-election.New member elected.Republican gain. | nowrap |
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! | Eben F. Stone | | Republican | 1880 | | Incumbent retired.New member elected.Republican hold. | nowrap |
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! | Charles Herbert Allen | | Republican | 1884 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
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! | Frederick D. Ely | | Republican | 1884 | | Incumbent lost re-election.New member elected.Democratic gain. | nowrap | |- ! | William W. Rice | | Republican | 1876 | | Incumbent lost re-election.New member elected.Democratic gain. | nowrap | |- ! | William Whiting II | | Republican | 1882 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | |- ! | Francis W. Rockwell | | Republican | 1884 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | |}