1978 United States House of Representatives elections

The 1978 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for the United States House of Representatives on November 7, 1978, to elect members to serve in the 96th United States Congress. They occurred in the middle of Democratic President Jimmy Carter's term, amidst an energy crisis and rapid inflation. The Democratic Party lost a net of 15 seats to the Republican Party, and thus lost their two-thirds supermajority, but still maintained a large 277-seat majority.

As of 2024, this was the last midterm election where the Democrats managed to maintain a majority in the House of Representatives under a Democratic president and the last midterm election in which a registered third party member was elected.

Overall results
Source: Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk

Wisconsin

 * Wisconsin's 1st congressional district
 * Les Aspin
 * | Democratic
 * 1970
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * nowrap |

✅ Les Aspin (Democratic) 54.5%

William W. Petrie (Republican) 45.5%


 * Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district
 * Robert Kastenmeier
 * | Democratic
 * 1958
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * nowrap |

✅ Robert Kastenmeier (Democratic) 57.7%

James A. Wright (Republican) 41.3%

Dick G. Fields (Independent) 1.0%


 * Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district
 * Alvin Baldus
 * | Democratic
 * 1974
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * nowrap |

✅ Alvin Baldus (Democratic) 62.8%

Michael Steven Ellis (Republican) 37.2%


 * Wisconsin's 4th congressional district
 * Clement J. Zablocki
 * | Democratic
 * 1948
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * nowrap |

✅ Clement J. Zablocki (Democratic) 66.1%

Elroy C. Honadel (Republican) 33.9%


 * Wisconsin's 5th congressional district
 * Henry S. Reuss
 * | Democratic
 * 1954
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * nowrap |

✅ Henry S. Reuss (Democratic) 73.1%

James R. W. Medina (Republican) 25.9%

Paul Greenberg (Independent) 0.7%

John Edward Sokoly (Independent) 0.3%


 * Wisconsin's 6th congressional district
 * William A. Steiger
 * | Republican
 * 1966
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * nowrap |

✅ William A. Steiger (Republican) 69.6%

Robert J. Steffes (Democratic) 29.6%

Gordon Ponschock (Con) 0.8%


 * Wisconsin's 7th congressional district
 * Dave Obey
 * | Democratic
 * 1969 (Special)
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * nowrap |

✅ Dave Obey (Democratic) 62.2%

Vinton A. Vesta (Republican) 36.9%

George Olishkewych (Con) 0.9%


 * Wisconsin's 8th congressional district
 * Robert John Cornell
 * | Democratic
 * 1974
 * | Incumbent lost re-election. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap |
 * nowrap |

✅ Toby Roth (Republican) 57.9%

Robert John Cornell (Democratic) 42.1%


 * Wisconsin's 9th congressional district
 * Bob Kasten
 * | Republican
 * 1974
 * | Incumbent retired to run for Governor of Wisconsin. New member elected. Republican hold.
 * nowrap |
 * nowrap |

✅ Jim Sensenbrenner (Republican) 61.2%

Matthew J. Flynn (Democratic) 38.8%


 * }