United States House of Representatives election, 1994

United States House of Representatives elections, 1994

← 1992 November 8, 1994 1996 →
All 435 seats to the United States House of Representatives 218 seats were needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Newt Gingrich Tom Foley (defeated) Party Republican Democratic Leader since January 3, 1995 January 3, 1987 Leader's seat Georgia-6th Washington-5th Last election 176 seats 258 seats Seats won 230 204 Seat change 54 54 Popular vote 36,569,698 31,609,829 Percentage 51.9% 44.8% Swing 6.8% 5.3%   Third party   Party Independent Last election 1 seat Seats won 1 Seat change Popular vote 497,403 Percentage 0.7%
Results:   Democratic hold   Democratic pickup   Republican hold   Republican pickup   Independent hold
Speaker before election Tom Foley Democratic Elected Speaker Newt Gingrich Republican

Tom Foley
Democratic

Newt Gingrich
Republican

The 1994 United States House of Representatives election (also known as the Republican Revolution) was held on November 8, 1994, in the middle of President Bill Clinton's first term. As a result of a 54-seat swing in membership from Democrats to Republicans, the Republican Party gained a majority of seats in the United States House of Representatives for the first time since 1952 and a majority of votes for the first time since 1946. It was also the largest seat gain for the Republican Party since 1946, and the largest for either party since 1948.

The Democratic Party had run the House for all but four of the preceding 62 years. With help from the Harry and Louise television ads, the Republican Party was able to unite the majority of Americans against President Clinton's proposed healthcare reform. Capitalizing on the negative perception Clinton received because of this push, the Republicans argued Clinton had abandoned the New Democrat platform he campaigned on during the 1992 Presidential election and united behind Newt Gingrich's Contract with America, which promoted immediate action on institutional reform and the decentralization of federal authority.

In a historic election, House Speaker Tom Foley (D-Washington) was defeated for re-election in his district, becoming the first Speaker of the House to fail to win re-election since Galusha Grow (R-Pennsylvania) during the 1862 midterm elections. Other major upsets included the defeat of powerful long-serving Representatives such as Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski (D-Illinois) and Judiciary Chairman Jack Brooks (D-Texas). In all, 34 incumbents (all Democrats) were defeated, though a few of them (like David Price of North Carolina and Ted Strickland of Ohio) regained seats in later elections; Maria Cantwell of Washington won a U.S. Senate race in 2000. Republicans also won some seats that were left open by retiring Democrats. Democrats won four Republican-held seats where the incumbents were stepping down (Maine's 2nd district, Minnesota's 6th district, Pennsylvania's 18th district, and Rhode Island's 1st district). Democrats who were elected in this situation included Rhode Island congressman and Kennedy family member Patrick J. Kennedy and future Maine governor John Baldacci. No Republican incumbent lost his or her seat in 1994. Other notable freshmen included former singer Sonny Bono, future talk show host Joe Scarborough, future Libertarian Presidential nominee Bob Barr, future Senator and Governor of Kansas Sam Brownback, future Senators Saxby Chambliss, Roger Wicker, John Ensign, Richard Burr, Tom Coburn, and Lindsey Graham, future Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, and future Governor of South Carolina Mark Sanford.