2010 United States House of Representatives elections

The 2010 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 2, 2010, as part of the 2010 midterm elections during President Barack Obama's first term in office. Voters of the 50 U.S. states chose 435 U.S. Representatives to serve in the 112th United States Congress. Also, voters of the U.S. territories, commonwealths and District of Columbia chose their non-voting delegates. U.S. Senate elections and various state and local elections were held on the same date.

Republicans regained control of the U.S. House they had lost in the 2006 midterm election, picking up a net total of 63 seats and erasing the gains Democrats made in 2006 and 2008. Although the sitting president's party usually loses seats in a midterm election, the 2010 election resulted in the highest losses by a party in a House midterm election since 1938, as well as the largest House swing since 1948. In total, 52 House Democrats were defeated, including 34 freshman and sophomore representatives.

Republicans made their largest gain in House seats since 1938. Three Democratic committee chairmen were defeated: transportation chairman Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, armed services chairman Ike Skelton of Missouri, and budget chairman John Spratt of South Carolina. Democrats made three pick-ups, winning an open seat in Delaware and defeating Republican incumbents in Hawaii and Louisiana.

The heavy Democratic Party losses in 2010 were attributed to anger at President Obama, opposition to the Affordable Care Act and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, large budget deficits, and the weak economy.

This is the last election in which Democrats won a seat in Arkansas, and the last in which Republicans won more than one seat in Maryland.

Background
Following the 2006 elections, Democrats took control of the House as well as the Senate. In the 2008 elections, which coincided with Democrat Barack Obama's victory over Republican John McCain for the presidency, Democrats increased their majorities in both chambers. Of the 435 congressional districts, 242 were carried by Obama, while 193 voted for McCain. Of the districts Obama won, 34 elected a Republican to the House, while 49 of the districts McCain won elected a Democrat.

Republican gains
The Republicans' 63-seat pickup in the House to take control of that chamber, as well as their gain of six Senate seats, signified a dramatic rollback of recent Democratic gains. In the election, Republicans won their greatest number of House seats since 1946. This has been attributed to the continued economic recession, as well as President Obama's controversial stimulus and health care reform bills. Republicans also took control of 29 of the 50 state governorships and gained 690 seats in state legislatures, to hold their greatest number since the 1928 elections.

Republicans also made historic gains in state legislatures, adding more than 675 state legislative seats, by far surpassing their state-legislative gains in 1994. Republicans gained control of dozens of state legislative chambers, and took control of "seven more legislatures outright than they did after 1994 and the most since 1952." Republicans picked up control of the Alabama Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction; control of the North Carolina Senate for the first time since 1870; and control of the Minnesota Senate for the first time since the state returned to partisan elections in 1974.

The Great Lakes region, which until then had recently favored the Democratic Party, went strongly Republican. In California and the Pacific Northwest, however, the Democrats retained the upper hand. The biggest change in 2010 occurred in the Southeastern United States, which had previously been roughly evenly split between Democrats and Republicans for everything except for president. Just one white Democrat from the Deep South won reelection to the US House in 2010. Prior to 2010, many white conservative southerners had voted Republican for president, but Democratic for other offices.

Federal
Sources: House Clerk – Statistics of the Congressional Election, 2010

Voter demographics
Source: CNN exit poll

Retiring incumbents
37 incumbents retired.

Democrats
17 incumbent Democrats retired.
 * Alabama's 7th congressional district: Artur Davis: To run for Governor of Alabama.
 * Arkansas's 1st congressional district: Marion Berry: Retired due to health concerns.
 * Arkansas's 2nd congressional district: Vic Snyder: Retired to spend more time with family.
 * California's 33rd congressional district: Diane Watson: Retired; "It should be a seat inherited by someone who can represent everyone in this district."
 * Florida's 17th congressional district: Kendrick Meek: To run for U.S. Senator.
 * Indiana's 8th congressional district: Brad Ellsworth: To run for U.S. Senator.
 * Kansas's 3rd congressional district: Dennis Moore: Retired; "Time for a new generation of leadership."
 * Louisiana's 3rd congressional district: Charlie Melançon: To run for U.S. Senator.
 * Massachusetts's 10th congressional district: Bill Delahunt: Retired; "Life is about change. I think it's healthy. It's time."
 * Michigan's 1st congressional district: Bart Stupak: Retired; "I've accomplished what I want to do."
 * New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district: Paul Hodes: To run for U.S. Senator.
 * Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district: Joe Sestak: To run for U.S. Senator.
 * Rhode Island's 1st congressional district: Patrick J. Kennedy: Retired to "[take] a new direction."
 * Tennessee's 6th congressional district: Bart Gordon: Retired; "…it's time for a new chapter."
 * Tennessee's 8th congressional district: John S. Tanner: Retired; decided 20 years was long enough.
 * Washington's 3rd congressional district: Brian Baird: Retired, to pursue other options.
 * Wisconsin's 7th congressional district: Dave Obey: Retired; "But even more frankly, I am bone tired." Media reports indicated Obey's future plans included joining a DC lobbying firm run by former Representative Dick Gephardt.

Republicans
19 incumbent Republicans retired.
 * Arkansas's 3rd congressional district: John Boozman: to run for U.S. Senator.
 * Arizona's 3rd congressional district: John Shadegg: to pursue other interests.
 * California's 19th congressional district: George Radanovich: to put family obligations first.
 * Delaware At-large: Mike Castle: to run for U.S. Senator.
 * Florida's 5th congressional district: Ginny Brown-Waite: due to health issues.
 * Florida's 12th congressional district: Adam Putnam: to run for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture.
 * Florida's 21st congressional district: Lincoln Díaz-Balart: to return to law practice.
 * Georgia's 7th congressional district: John Linder
 * Illinois's 10th congressional district: Mark Kirk: to run for U.S. Senator.
 * Indiana's 4th congressional district: Steve Buyer: due to wife's illness
 * Kansas's 1st congressional district: Jerry Moran: to run for U.S. Senator.
 * Kansas's 4th congressional district: Todd Tiahrt: to run for U.S. Senator.
 * Michigan's 2nd congressional district: Pete Hoekstra: to run for Governor of Michigan.
 * Michigan's 3rd congressional district: Vern Ehlers
 * Missouri's 7th congressional district: Roy Blunt: to run for U.S. Senator.
 * Oklahoma's 5th congressional district: Mary Fallin: to run for Governor of Oklahoma.
 * South Carolina's 1st congressional district: Henry E. Brown Jr.: to spend more time with his family.
 * South Carolina's 3rd congressional district: Gresham Barrett: to run for Governor of South Carolina.
 * Tennessee's 3rd congressional district: Zach Wamp: to run for Governor of Tennessee.

Incumbents defeated
There were nine Democrats who survived reelection in the 1994 Republican Revolution, but were defeated this year.

Democrats
Two Democrats lost renomination. One seat was held by Democrats, while the other flipped to Republicans.
 * Michigan's 13th congressional district: Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick lost to Hansen Clarke.
 * West Virginia's 1st congressional district: Alan Mollohan lost to Mike Oliverio, who lost the general election to David McKinley.

Republicans
Two Republicans lost renomination. Both seats were eventually held by Republicans.
 * Alabama's 5th congressional district: Parker Griffith (first elected in 2008 as a Democrat; switched parties in 2009) lost to Mo Brooks.
 * South Carolina's 4th congressional district: Bob Inglis lost to Trey Gowdy.

Lost re-election
54 incumbents lost in the general election; all but two were Democrats. Many of the Democrats who lost had been initially elected in the Democratic wave years of 2006 and 2008, and several others were longtime incumbents from the southeast.

Democrats
52 Democrats lost re-election.


 * Alabama's 2nd congressional district, Bobby Bright (first elected in 2008) lost to Martha Roby
 * Arizona's 1st congressional district, Ann Kirkpatrick (first elected in 2008) lost to Paul Gosar
 * Arizona's 5th congressional district, Harry Mitchell (first elected in 2006) lost to David Schweikert
 * Colorado's 3rd congressional district, John Salazar (first elected in 2004) lost to Scott Tipton
 * Colorado's 4th congressional district, Betsy Markey (first elected in 2008) lost to Cory Gardner
 * Florida's 2nd congressional district, Allen Boyd (first elected in 1996) lost to Steve Southerland
 * Florida's 8th congressional district, Alan Grayson (first elected in 2008) lost to Daniel Webster
 * Florida's 22nd congressional district, Ron Klein (first elected in 2006) lost to Allen West
 * Florida's 24th congressional district, Suzanne Kosmas (first elected in 2008) lost to Sandy Adams
 * Georgia's 8th congressional district, Jim Marshall (first elected in 2002) lost to Austin Scott
 * Idaho's 1st congressional district, Walt Minnick (first elected in 2008) lost to Raúl Labrador
 * Illinois's 8th congressional district, Melissa Bean (first elected in 2004) lost to Joe Walsh
 * Illinois's 11th congressional district, Debbie Halvorson (first elected in 2008) lost to Adam Kinzinger
 * Illinois's 14th congressional district, Bill Foster (first elected in 2008) lost to Randy Hultgren
 * Illinois's 17th congressional district, Phil Hare (first elected in 2006) lost to Bobby Schilling
 * Indiana's 9th congressional district, Baron Hill (originally elected in 1998) lost to Todd Young
 * Maryland's 1st congressional district, Frank Kratovil (first elected in 2008) lost to Andrew P. Harris
 * Michigan's 7th congressional district, Mark Schauer (first elected in 2008) lost to Tim Walberg
 * Minnesota's 8th congressional district, Jim Oberstar (first elected in 1974) lost to Chip Cravaack
 * Mississippi's 1st congressional district, Travis Childers (first elected in 2008) lost to Alan Nunnelee
 * Mississippi's 4th congressional district, Gene Taylor (first elected in 1989) lost to Steven Palazzo
 * Missouri's 4th congressional district, Ike Skelton (first elected in 1976) lost to Vicky Hartzler
 * Nevada's 3rd congressional district, Dina Titus (first elected in 2008) lost to Joe Heck
 * New Hampshire's 1st congressional district, Carol Shea-Porter (first elected in 2006) lost to Frank Guinta
 * New Jersey's 3rd congressional district, John Adler (first elected in 2008) lost to Jon Runyan
 * New Mexico's 2nd congressional district, Harry Teague (first elected in 2008) lost to Steve Pearce
 * New York's 13th congressional district, Michael McMahon (first elected in 2008) lost to Michael Grimm
 * New York's 19th congressional district, John Hall (first elected in 2006) lost to Nan Hayworth
 * New York's 20th congressional district, Scott Murphy (first elected in 2009) lost to Chris Gibson
 * New York's 24th congressional district, Mike Arcuri (first elected in 2006) lost to Richard Hanna
 * New York's 25th congressional district, Dan Maffei (first elected in 2008) lost to Ann Marie Buerkle
 * North Carolina's 2nd congressional district, Bob Etheridge (first elected in 1996) lost to Renee Ellmers
 * North Dakota At-large, Earl Pomeroy (first elected in 1992) lost to Rick Berg
 * Ohio's 1st congressional district, Steve Driehaus (first elected in 2008) lost to Steve Chabot
 * Ohio's 6th congressional district, Charlie Wilson (first elected in 2006) lost to Bill Johnson
 * Ohio's 15th congressional district, Mary Jo Kilroy (first elected in 2008) lost to Steve Stivers
 * Ohio's 16th congressional district, John Boccieri (first elected in 2008) lost to Jim Renacci
 * Ohio's 18th congressional district, Zack Space (first elected in 2006) lost to Bob Gibbs
 * Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district, Kathy Dahlkemper (first elected in 2008) lost to Mike Kelly
 * Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district, Patrick Murphy (first elected in 2006) lost to Mike Fitzpatrick
 * Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district, Chris Carney (first elected in 2006) lost to Tom Marino
 * Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district, Paul E. Kanjorski (first elected in 1984) lost to Lou Barletta
 * South Carolina's 5th congressional district, John Spratt (first elected in 1982) lost to Mick Mulvaney
 * South Dakota At-large, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (first elected in 2004) lost to Kristi Noem
 * Tennessee's 4th congressional district, Lincoln Davis (first elected in 2002) lost to Scott DesJarlais
 * Texas's 17th congressional district, Chet Edwards (first elected in 1990) lost to Bill Flores
 * Texas's 23rd congressional district, Ciro Rodriguez (originally elected in 1996) lost to Quico Canseco
 * Texas's 27th congressional district, Solomon P. Ortiz (first elected in 1982) lost to Blake Farenthold
 * Virginia's 2nd congressional district, Glenn Nye (first elected in 2008) lost to Scott Rigell
 * Virginia's 5th congressional district, Tom Perriello (first elected in 2008) lost to Robert Hurt
 * Virginia's 9th congressional district, Rick Boucher (first elected in 1982) lost to Morgan Griffith
 * Wisconsin's 8th congressional district, Steve Kagen (first elected in 2006) lost to Reid Ribble

Republicans
Two Republicans lost re-election.
 * Hawaii's 1st congressional district, Charles Djou (first elected in 2010) lost to Colleen Hanabusa
 * Louisiana's 2nd congressional district, Joseph Cao (first elected in 2008) lost to Cedric Richmond

Democratic seats won by Republicans
14 open seats, held by Democrats, were won by Republicans.


 * Arkansas's 1st congressional district: Won by Rick Crawford
 * Arkansas's 2nd congressional district: Won by Tim Griffin
 * Indiana's 8th congressional district: Won by Larry Bucshon
 * Kansas's 3rd congressional district: Won by Kevin Yoder
 * Louisiana's 3rd congressional district: Won by Jeff Landry
 * Michigan's 1st congressional district: Won by Dan Benishek
 * New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district: Won by Charles Bass
 * New York's 29th congressional district: Won by Tom Reed
 * Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district: Won by Pat Meehan
 * Tennessee's 6th congressional district: Won by Diane Black
 * Tennessee's 8th congressional district: Won by Stephen Fincher
 * Washington's 3rd congressional district: Won by Jaime Herrera Beutler
 * West Virginia's 1st congressional district: Won by David McKinley
 * Wisconsin's 7th congressional district: Won by Sean Duffy

Republican seats won by Democrats
One open seat, held by a Republican, was won by a Democrat.
 * Delaware At-large: Won by John Carney

Closest races
Eighty-four races were decided by 10% or lower.

Special elections
There were six special elections in 2010 to the 111th United States Congress, listed here by date and district.

! FL's 19th congressional district
 * Robert Wexler
 * 1996
 * | Incumbent resigned January 3, 2010 to become Director of the Center for Middle East Peace. New member elected April 13, 2010. Democratic hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Ted Deutch (Democratic) 62.1%
 * nowrap | ✅ Ted Deutch (Democratic) 62.1%

Edward Lynch (Republican) 35.2%

Jim McCormick (Independent) 2.7%

! PA's 12th congressional district
 * John Murtha
 * 1974 (special)
 * | Incumbent died February 8, 2010, due to surgery complications. New member elected May 18, 2010. Democratic hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Mark Critz (Democratic) 52.6%
 * nowrap | ✅ Mark Critz (Democratic) 52.6%

Tim Burns (Republican) 45.1%

Demo Agoris (Libertarian) 2.3%

! HI's 1st congressional district
 * Neil Abercrombie
 * 1990
 * | Incumbent resigned February 28, 2010 to run for Governor of Hawaii. New member elected May 22, 2010. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Charles Djou (Republican) 39.4%
 * nowrap | ✅ Charles Djou (Republican) 39.4%

Colleen Hanabusa (Democratic) 30.8%

Ed Case (Democratic) 27.6%

! GA's 9th congressional district
 * Nathan Deal
 * 1992
 * | Incumbent resigned March 21, 2010 to run for Governor of Georgia. New member elected June 8, 2010. Republican hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Tom Graves (Republican) 56.4%
 * nowrap | ✅ Tom Graves (Republican) 56.4%

Lee Hawkins (Republican) 43.6%

! IN's 3rd congressional district
 * Mark Souder
 * 1994
 * | Incumbent resigned May 21, 2010 amid affair scandal. New member elected November 2, 2010. Republican hold.
 * nowrap | ✅ Marlin Stutzman (Republican) 62.7%
 * nowrap | ✅ Marlin Stutzman (Republican) 62.7%

Tom Hayhurst (Democratic) 33.0%

Scott W. Wise (Libertarian) 4.3%

! NY's 29th congressional district
 * Eric Massa
 * 2008
 * | Incumbent resigned March 8, 2010 following sexual misconduct allegations. New member elected November 2, 2010. Republican gain.
 * nowrap | ✅ Tom Reed (Republican) 56.7%
 * nowrap | ✅ Tom Reed (Republican) 56.7%

Matthew Zeller (Democratic) 43.1%


 * }

Wisconsin
! Wisconsin's 1st congressional district
 * Paul Ryan
 * 1998
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Paul Ryan (Republican) 68.2%

John Heckenlively (Democratic) 30.1%

Joseph Kexel (Libertarian) 1.6%

! Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district
 * Tammy Baldwin
 * 1998
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Tammy Baldwin (Democratic) 61.8%

Chad Lee (Republican) 38.2%

! Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district
 * Ron Kind
 * 1996
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Ron Kind (Democratic) 50.3%

Dan Kapanke (Republican) 46.5%

Mike Krsiean (Independent) 3.2%

! Wisconsin's 4th congressional district
 * Gwen Moore
 * 2004
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Gwen Moore (Democratic) 69.0%

Dan Sebring (Republican) 29.6%

Ahmad Ayyash (Independent) 1.4%

! Wisconsin's 5th congressional district
 * Jim Sensenbrenner
 * 1978
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Jim Sensenbrenner (Republican) 69.3%

Todd Kolosso (Democratic) 27.4%

Robert Raymond (Independent) 3.3%

! Wisconsin's 6th congressional district
 * Tom Petri
 * 1979 (Special)
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |
 * Incumbent re-elected.
 * nowrap |

✅ Tom Petri (Republican) 70.7%

Joe Kallas (Democratic) 29.3%

! Wisconsin's 7th congressional district
 * Dave Obey
 * 1969 (Special)
 * | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap |
 * | Incumbent retired. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap |

✅ Sean Duffy (Republican) 52.1%

Julie Lassa (Democratic) 44.4%

Gary Kauther (Independent) 3.3%

! Wisconsin's 8th congressional district
 * Steve Kagen
 * 2006
 * | Incumbent lost reelection. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap |
 * | Incumbent lost reelection. New member elected. Republican gain.
 * nowrap |

✅ Reid Ribble (Republican) 54.8%

Steve Kagen (Democratic) 45.1%


 * }

Non-voting delegates
The House of Representatives includes five Delegates from the District of Columbia and outlying territories elected to two-year terms and one Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico elected to a four-year term (for which the last election was held in 2008, so the seat was not up for reelection in 2010). These delegates are not allowed to vote on the floor of the House of Representatives.