1931 United States House of Representatives elections

Last updated

1931 U.S. House of Representatives elections
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg
  1930 May 12, 1931 – December 1, 1931 1932  

11 (out of 435) seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
218 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
  John Nance Garner (2).jpg Bertrand Snell cph.3c04408.jpg
Leader John Nance Garner Bertrand Snell
Party Democratic Republican
Leader sinceMarch 4, 1929March 4, 1931
Leader's seat Texas 15th New York 31st
Last election216 seats218 seats [a]
Seats won219216
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 3Decrease2.svg 2
Seats up55
Races won83

 Third party
 
Party Farmer–Labor
Last election1 seat
Seats won1
Seat changeSteady2.svg
Seats up0
Races won0

There were special elections to the United States House of Representatives in 1931 to the 71st United States Congress and 72nd United States Congress. After the 1930 House elections, the Republicans held a narrow majority of 218 seats, the smallest possible majority in congress. However, following these elections, the Democrats gained 3 seats resulting in a Democratic House majority. This Democratic majority was only further increased in the 1932 house elections and would survive for 63 years, with the Republicans only briefly holding the House following the 1946 and 1952 House elections. Republicans would only hold House control for a significant amount of time following the Republican Revolution of 1994.

Contents

71st Congress

Elections are listed by date and district.

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
New York 9 David J. O'Connell Democratic 1918
1920 (lost)
1922
Incumbent died December 29, 1930.
New member elected February 17, 1931.
Democratic hold.
  • Green check.svgY Stephen A. Rudd (Democratic) 71.53%
  • William Koch (Republican) 26.13%
  • James Oneal (Socialist) 2.34%

72nd Congress

Elections are listed by date and district.

DistrictIncumbentThis race
MemberPartyFirst electedResultsCandidates
New York 7 John Quayle Democratic 1922 Incumbent died November 27, 1930.
New member elected February 17, 1931.
Democratic hold.
  • Green check.svgY Matthew V. O'Malley (Democratic) 69.97%
  • Leonard Greenstone (Republican) 28.17%
  • David Munroe Cory (Socialist) 1.85%
Louisiana 8 James B. Aswell Democratic 1912 Incumbent died March 16, 1931.
New member elected May 12, 1931.
Democratic hold.
Georgia 1 Charles G. Edwards Democratic 1906
1916 (retired)
1924
Incumbent died July 13, 1931.
New member elected September 9, 1931.
Democratic hold.
Missouri 7 Samuel C. Major Democratic 1918
1920 (lost)
1922
Incumbent died July 28, 1931.
New member elected September 29, 1931.
Democratic hold.
Wisconsin 1 VacantIncumbent member-elect Henry A. Cooper (R) died March 1, 1931, in the previous congress.
New member elected October 13, 1931.
Republican hold.
  • Green check.svgY Thomas R. Amlie (Republican) 54.38%
  • Otis J. Bouma (Socialist) 27.41%
  • G. H. Herzog (Ind. Democratic) 12.95%
  • Henry H. Tubbs (Prohibition) 3.44%
  • John Sikat (Ind. Communist) 1.83% [2]
Michigan 8 Bird J. Vincent Republican 1922 Incumbent died July 18, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Democratic gain.
New York 7 Matthew V. O'Malley Democratic1931
(did not take office)
Representative-elect died May 26, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Democratic hold.
  • Green check.svgY John J. Delaney (Democratic) 69.30%
  • William L. Padgett (Republican) 22.10%
  • Abraham Zucker (Socialist) 7.68%
  • J. Louis Engdahl (Communist) 0.93%
Ohio 1 Nicholas Longworth Republican 1902
1912 (lost)
1914
Incumbent died April 9, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Republican hold.
  • Green check.svgY John B. Hollister (Republican) 60.22%
  • David Lorbach (Democratic) 37.13%
  • Robert A. Duderstadt (Independent) 2.66%
Ohio 20 Charles A. Mooney Democratic 1918
1920 (lost)
1922
Incumbent died May 29, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Democratic hold.
Pennsylvania 2 George S. Graham Republican 1912 Incumbent died July 4, 1931.
New member elected November 3, 1931.
Republican hold.
Texas 14 Harry M. Wurzbach Republican 1920
1928 (lost)
1930 (won challenge)
Incumbent died November 6, 1931.
New member elected November 24, 1931.
Democratic gain.
  • Green check.svgY Richard M. Kleberg (Democratic) 47.06%
  • Carl W. Johnson (Democratic) 34.47%
  • Charles W. Anderson (Republican) 14.23%
  • Tom B. Smiley (Republican) 4.24%
New Jersey 5 Ernest R. Ackerman Republican 1918 Incumbent died October 18, 1931.
New member elected December 1, 1931.
Democratic gain.
  • Green check.svgY Percy H. Stewart (Democratic) 49.20%
  • Donald H. McLean (Republican) 46.37%
  • Alexis L. Clark (Prohibition) 3.95%
  • Harry F. Kopp (Socialist) 0.30%
  • Morris Langer (Communist) 0.18%

References

  1. Fletcher Hale (R) of New Hampshire's 1st congressional district died October 22, 1931, but the special election was held January 5, 1932.
  1. "Our Campaigns - LA District 08 - Special Election Race - May 12, 1931". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  2. Wisconsin Blue Book 1933, p. 510.
  3. "Our Campaigns - MI District 08 - Special Election Race - Nov 03, 1931". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved April 9, 2021.

Dubin, Michael J. (1998). United States Congressional elections, 1788-1997: the official results of the elections of the 1st through 105th Congresses. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland. pp. 486–487. ISBN   0-7864-0283-0.
Witte, Edwin E.; Kelly, Alice, eds. (1933). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1933. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer.