The 2004 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 2, 2004, to elect all 435 seats of the chamber. It coincided with the re-election of President George W. Bush as well as many Senate elections and gubernatorial elections. Prior to the election in the 108th Congress, Republicans held 227 seats, Democrats held 205, with two Republican vacancies and one independent. As a result of this election, the 109th Congress began composed of 232 Republicans, 201 Democrats, one independent (who caucuses with the Democrats), and one vacancy (Democrat Bob Matsui won reelection but died just two days before the beginning of the 109th Congress).
Democrats won open seats in Colorado, South Dakota, and New York while ousting incumbents in Georgia and Illinois. Republicans won an open seat in Kentucky while ousting an incumbent in Indiana. They gained five seats in Texas after a controversial mid-decade redistricting placed several rural Democratic incumbents into new districts. Two seats in Louisiana swapped party control.
As of 2025, this is the last election in which someone who was not from the Democratic or Republican Party was elected to the House (Independent Bernie Sanders). Republicans would not make consecutive net gains in the House (after gaining seats in the 2002 election) until 2020 and 2022. This was also the last election in which the Republicans made any gains in a presidential election year until 2020.
Results
Federal
Maps
Retirements
In the November general elections, thirty incumbents did not seek re-election, either to retire or to seek other positions.
Resignations
Two seats opened early due to resignations and were not filled until the November elections.
Democrats
No Democrats resigned.
Republicans
Two Republicans resigned.
- Florida 14: Porter Goss resigned September 23, 2004 to become Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
- Nebraska 1: Doug Bereuter resigned August 31, 2004 to become president of The Asia Foundation.
Incumbents defeated
In primary elections
In the general election
Open seats that changed parties
Open seats that parties held
Newly created seats
Of the thirty-two seats created in the 2003 Texas redistricting, three had no incumbent representative.
Closest races
Twenty-three races were decided by 10% or lower.
Election ratings
Special elections
There were three special elections held in 2004, all of them separate from the November elections.
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
On December 4, 2004, a run-off election was held to determine the winner of the 3rd and 7th congressional districts. In the 3rd district, Charlie Melancon narrowly defeated Billy Tauzin III. In the 7th district, Charles Boustany defeated Willie Mount. Thus, both seats switched to the opposite party.
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
All incumbents were re-elected.
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
All seven incumbents who ran for re-election, none of whom faced viable challengers, were returned to Congress. None received less than 60% of the vote, and one received over 80%. In addition, the two seats vacated by retiring Republicans were both reclaimed by Republicans despite Democratic hopes to gain at least one seat in the vulnerable 8th district.
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Non-voting delegates
See also
- 2004 United States elections
- 2004 United States gubernatorial elections
- 2004 United States presidential election
- 2004 United States Senate elections
- 108th United States Congress
- 109th United States Congress
Notes
References
External links
- United States Election 2004 Web Archive from the U.S. Library of Congress
