1938 United States House of Representatives elections
Internal Democratic strains were exacerbated by an effort led by Roosevelt to purge certain conservative senators for defeat in Democratic primaries, including Walter George of Georgia, Millard Tydings of Maryland and Ellison Smith of South Carolina, along with the chairman of the House Rules Committee, John J. O'Connor of New York.[2] While a number of New Deal supporters won primary elections, such as Sen. Alben Barkley in Kentucky, who defeated Happy Chandler, in Idaho, Sen. James P. Pope, a prominent New Deal supporter, lost his bid for re-nomination, as did California senator William McAdoo.[3] Re-energized Republicans focused attention on strong fresh candidates in major states, especially Robert A. Taft, the conservative from Ohio,[4] Earl Warren (future Chief Justice), the moderate who won both the Republican and the Democratic primaries in California,[5] and Thomas Dewey, the crusading prosecutor from New York.[6] The Republican resurgence in 1938 was made possible by carrying 50% of the vote outside the South, giving GOP leaders confidence it had a strong base for the 1940 presidential election.Representatives Edward E. Cox, Howard W. Smith, and other Southern Democrats opposed Roosevelt's policies with the Republicans, but were in the minority.
| House seats by party holding plurality in state | |
|---|---|
|
80%+ Democratic
|
80%+ Republican
|
|
60%+ to 80% Democratic
|
60%+ to 80% Republican
|
|
Up to 60% Democratic
|
Up to 60% Republican
|
| Net gain per state | ||
|---|---|---|
|
6+ Democratic gain
|
6+ Republican gain
|
|
|
3-5 Democratic gain
|
3-5 Republican gain
|
|
|
1-2 Democratic gain
|
1-2 Republican gain
|
|
|
no net change
|
||
Murdock: 70–80% 80–90% >90%
United States House of RepresentativesWilliam B. BankheadBertrand SnellDemocraticRepublicanAlabama 7thNew York 31stProgressiveFarmer–LaborAmerican LaborSpeakerWilliam Bankhead76th United States Congressoccurred in the middlePresidentFranklin D. RooseveltDemocratic PartyRepublican PartyRecession of 1937New DealGreat DepressionRoosevelt's "Court Packing" planlabor unionsgrassrootsNew Deal CoalitionAmerican Federation of LaborCongress of Industrial OrganizationsWalter GeorgeMillard TydingsEllison SmithJohn J. O'ConnorAlben BarkleyHappy ChandlerJames P. PopeWilliam McAdooRobert A. TaftEarl WarrenChief JusticeThomas Dewey1940 presidential electionCongressEdward E. CoxHoward W. SmithJohn Nance GarnerProgressive PartyFarmer–Labor PartyAmerican Labor PartySocialist PartyTownsend PartyIndependentsCommunist PartyRoyal Oak PartyProhibition PartyUnion PartySocialist Workers PartyConstitutional Democrat PartySocialist Labor PartyState Rights PartyPathfinders PartyCommonwealth PartyList of special elections to the United States House of Representatives1937 United States House of Representatives electionsKentucky 8Fred M. VinsonU.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. CircuitJoe B. BatesAlabama 2J. Lister Hill1923 (special)U.S. senatorGeorge M. GrantSouth Carolina 6Allard H. GasqueElizabeth H. GasqueOhio 4Frank L. KloebU.S. District Court for the Northern District of OhioelectedWalter H. AlbaughList of United States representatives from AlabamaAlabama 1Frank W. Boykin1935 (special)1938 (special)Alabama 3Henry B. SteagallAlabama 4Sam HobbsAlabama 5Joe StarnesAlabama 6Pete JarmanAlabama 7Alabama 8John SparkmanAlabama 9Luther PatrickList of United States representatives from ArizonaArizona at-largeJohn R. MurdockList of United States representatives from ArkansasArkansas 1William J. DriverEzekiel C. GathingsArkansas 2John E. Millerelected U.S. senatorWilbur MillsArkansas 3Claude FullerClyde T. EllisArkansas 4William B. CravensArkansas 5David D. Terry1933 (special)Arkansas 6John L. McClellanrun for U.S. senatorWilliam F. NorrellArkansas 7Wade H. Kitchens1938 United States House of Representatives elections in CaliforniaList of United States representatives from CaliforniaCalifornia 1Clarence F. Lea