The 2008 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 4, 2008, to elect members to the United States House of Representatives to serve in the 111th United States Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. It coincided with the election of Barack Obama as president. All 435 voting seats, as well as all 6 non-voting seats, were up for election. The Democratic Party, which won a majority of seats in the 2006 election, expanded its control in 2008. The Republican Party, hoping to regain the majority it lost in the 2006 election or at least expand its congressional membership, lost additional seats. With one exception (Louisiana's 2nd district), the only seats to switch from Democratic to Republican had been Republican-held prior to the 2006 elections. Republicans gained five Democratic seats total, while losing 26 of their own, giving the Democrats a net gain of 21 seats, effectively erasing all gains made by the GOP since 1994. In addition, with the defeat of Republican congressman Chris Shays in Connecticut's 4th district, this became the first time since the 1850s that no Republican represented the New England region. The 10.6% popular vote advantage by the Democrats was the largest by either party since 1982, 26 years earlier, and as of 2022 remains the most recent time that either party won by a double-digit margin in the overall popular vote for the House of Representatives. Turnout increased due to the concurrent presidential election. The presidential election, 2008 Senate elections, and 2008 gubernatorial elections, as well as many other state and local elections, occurred on the same date. This was the first and, as of 2022, the only election since 1980 in which the party of a newly elected president simultaneously gained seats in the House. It was the only time since 1994, and the last time until 2018, that Republicans held less than 200 House seats. As of 2024, this remains the last election in which Democrats won house seats in Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota, the last election in which Democrats won more than one seat in Alabama until 2024, and the last election in which Democrats won a majority of seats in Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. It is also the last time Republicans won a seat in Delaware.

Results summary

Federal

Per state

Maps

Retiring incumbents

Thirty-three incumbents voluntarily retired.

Democratic incumbents

All seven seats held by retiring Democrats were won by Democrats.

Republican incumbents

Twenty-seven Republicans retired. Thirteen of their seats were then won by Democrats (see Open seat gains, below).

Defeated incumbents

Incumbents defeated in primary election

One Republican lost in a primary and the seat was eventually won by a Democrat. One Democrat lost the primary as did two Republicans. The three primary winners, however, managed to retain the seat for the same party.

Incumbents defeated in general election

Fourteen Republicans and five Democrats lost their general elections, thereby losing their seats to the other party.

Open seat gains

Twelve seats (and one delegate's seat) held by retiring Republicans were won by Democrats. No Democratic retirements were picked up by Republicans.

Closest races

Fifty-two races were decided by 10% or lower.

Election ratings

Special elections

The thirteen special elections to the 110th United States Congress are listed below by election date. In 2008 there were eight special elections for vacant seats in the United States House of Representatives, for the 110th United States Congress. In the special elections, Democrats gained three seats while keeping hold of five seats. Republicans held only one of their four seats. ! Illinois's 14th congressional district New member elected March 8, 2008. Democratic gain. ✅ Bill Foster (Democratic) 52.53% Jim Oberweis (Republican) 47.47% ! Indiana's 7th congressional district New member elected March 11, 2008. Democratic hold. ✅ André Carson (Democratic) 54.00% Jon Elrod (Republican) 43.07% Sean Shepard (Libertarian) 2.87% ! California's 12th congressional district New member elected April 8, 2008. Democratic hold. ✅ Jackie Speier (Democratic) 77.72% Greg Conlon (Republican) 9.37% Michelle McMurry (Democratic) 5.33% Mike Moloney (Republican) 5.30% Barry Hermanson (Green) 2.28% ! Louisiana's 1st congressional district New member elected May 3, 2008. Republican hold. ✅ Steve Scalise (Republican) 75.13% Gilda Reed (Democratic) 22.50% R. A. Galan (Independent) 1.74% Anthony Gentile (Independent) 0.62% ! Louisiana's 6th congressional district New member elected May 3, 2008. Democratic gain. ✅ Don Cazayoux (Democratic) 49.20% Woody Jenkins (Republican) 46.27% Ashley Casey (Independent) 3.68% Peter J. Aranyosi (Independent) 0.44% Randall T. Hayes (Constitution) 0.40% ! Mississippi's 1st congressional district New member elected May 13, 2008. Democratic gain. ✅ Travis Childers (Democratic) 53.78% Greg Davis (Republican) 46.22% ! Maryland's 4th congressional district New member elected June 17, 2008. Democratic hold. ✅ Donna Edwards (Democratic) 80.54% Peter James (Republican) 17.78% Thibeaux Lincecum (Libertarian) 1.06% ! Ohio's 11th congressional district New member elected November 18, 2008. Democratic hold. ✅ Marcia Fudge (Democratic) 97.19% Uncontested

Alabama

Alaska

American Samoa

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Florida

Georgia

Guam

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Note: In Louisiana's 2nd and 4th districts, primary runoffs were held November 4, 2008 and the general election for both of these races were held December 6, 2008.

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Northern Mariana Islands

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

U.S. Virgin Islands

See Non-voting delegates, below.

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Non-voting delegates

! American Samoa At-large ✅ Eni Faleomavaega (Democratic) 60.4% Amata Coleman Radewagen (Republican) 35.0% Rosie F. Tago Lancaster (Independent) 4.6% ! District of Columbia At-large ✅ Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic) 92.3% Maude Hills (Green) 6.8% ! Guam At-large ✅ Madeleine Bordallo (Democratic) Uncontested ! Northern Mariana Islands At-large Independent gain. ✅ Gregorio Sablan (Independent) 24.5% Pedro Tenorio (Republican) 20.7% John Gonzales (Independent) 18.7% Juan Lizama (Independent) 17.3% Luis Cristostimo (Independent) 9.5% David Cing (Democratic) 2.9% Felipe Atalig (Independent) 2.5% Chong Won (Independent) 2.4% John Davis (Independent) 1.5% ! Puerto Rico At-large New Progressive hold. Democratic gain. ✅ Pedro Pierluisi (PNP/Democratic) 53.1% Alfredo Salazar (PPD/Democratic) 42.5% Carlos Alberto Velazquez Lopez (PPPR) 2.4% Jessica Martinez (PIP) 2.0% ! U.S. Virgin Islands At-large ✅ Donna Christian-Christensen (Democratic) 99.6%