The 1948 Congressional Mandate
An analytical deep dive into the pivotal elections that shifted the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives, impacting the 81st Congress.
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Election Overview
Context of the Election
The 1948 United States House of Representatives elections determined the composition of the House for the 81st United States Congress. These elections, held primarily on November 2, 1948, coincided with President Harry S. Truman's successful bid for a full term in office. Truman's campaign effectively challenged the Republican-controlled Congress, which he characterized as "do-nothing" and obstructive to his legislative agenda.
Electoral Impact
The Democratic Party achieved a significant victory, regaining control of both the House and the Senate. This marked their largest seat gain in the House since the landmark elections of 1932. The outcome represented a substantial mandate for President Truman's administration and policies.
Election Date
The majority of elections took place on November 2, 1948. However, Maine conducted its elections earlier, on September 13, 1948. These elections were notable for being the last until 1980 where a party other than the Democrats or Republicans, or an independent, held seats in the chamber.
Overall Results
Seat Distribution
The election saw a dramatic shift in party control. The Democratic Party secured a commanding majority, winning 263 seats, a gain of 75 seats. The Republican Party, conversely, saw its representation reduced to 171 seats, a loss of 75 seats. A single seat was won by the American Labor Party.
Popular Vote
The popular vote reflected the significant shift, with the Democratic Party garnering 24,217,516 votes (52.6%), while the Republican Party received 20,894,960 votes (45.4%). This represented a notable swing of approximately 7.6 percentage points in favor of the Democrats compared to the previous election cycle.
Special Elections
Vacancies and Replacements
Several special elections were held to fill vacancies created by resignations or deaths. These contests provided early indicators of the political climate and often resulted in party holds, though notable shifts occurred, such as an American Labor gain in New York's 24th district.
Alabama Delegation
The following table details the results for Alabama's congressional districts in the 1948 elections.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Frank W. Boykin | Democratic | 1935 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
2 | George M. Grant | Democratic | 1938 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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3 | George W. Andrews | Democratic | 1944 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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4 | Sam Hobbs | Democratic | 1934 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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5 | Albert Rains | Democratic | 1944 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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6 | Pete Jarman | Democratic | 1936 | Incumbent lost renomination. Democratic hold. |
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7 | Carter Manasco | Democratic | 1941 (special) | Incumbent lost renomination. Democratic hold. |
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8 | Robert E. Jones Jr. | Democratic | 1947 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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9 | Laurie C. Battle | Democratic | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Arizona Delegation
The results for Arizona's congressional districts in the 1948 elections are presented below.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | John R. Murdock (Redistricted from at-large) |
Democratic | 1936 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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2 | Richard F. Harless (Redistricted from at-large) |
Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
Others
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Arkansas Delegation
The results for Arkansas's congressional districts in the 1948 elections are presented below.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ezekiel C. Gathings | Democratic | 1938 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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2 | Wilbur Mills | Democratic | 1938 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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3 | James William Trimble | Democratic | 1944 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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4 | William Fadjo Cravens | Democratic | 1939 (special) | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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5 | Brooks Hays | Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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6 | William F. Norrell | Democratic | 1938 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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7 | Oren Harris | Democratic | 1940 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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California Delegation
California experienced significant shifts, with several districts changing party hands. The following table details the outcomes for the state's congressional races.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Clarence F. Lea | Democratic | 1916 | Incumbent retired. Republican gain. |
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2 | Clair Engle | Democratic | 1943 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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3 | J. Leroy Johnson | Republican | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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4 | Franck R. Havenner | Democratic | 1944 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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5 | Richard J. Welch | Republican | 1926 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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6 | George P. Miller | Democratic | 1944 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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7 | John J. Allen Jr. | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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8 | Jack Z. Anderson | Republican | 1938 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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9 | Bertrand W. Gearhart | Republican | 1934 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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10 | Alfred J. Elliott | Democratic | 1937 (special) | Incumbent retired. Republican gain. |
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11 | Ernest K. Bramblett | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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12 | Richard Nixon | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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13 | Norris Poulson | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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14 | Helen Gahagan Douglas | Democratic | 1944 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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15 | Gordon L. McDonough | Republican | 1944 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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16 | Donald L. Jackson | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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17 | Cecil R. King | Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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18 | Willis W. Bradley | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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19 | Chester E. Holifield | Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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20 | John Carl Hinshaw | Republican | 1938 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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21 | Harry R. Sheppard | Democratic | 1936 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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22 | John Phillips | Republican | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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23 | Charles K. Fletcher | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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Colorado Delegation
Colorado's congressional races in 1948 saw shifts in representation, with Democrats gaining ground in some districts.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | John A. Carroll | Democratic | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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2 | William S. Hill | Republican | 1940 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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3 | John Chenoweth | Republican | 1940 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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4 | Robert F. Rockwell | Republican | 1941 (special) | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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Connecticut Delegation
Connecticut experienced a notable shift towards the Democratic Party in its congressional representation during the 1948 elections.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William J. Miller | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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2 | Horace Seely-Brown Jr. | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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3 | Ellsworth Foote | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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4 | John Davis Lodge | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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5 | James T. Patterson | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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At-large | Antoni Sadlak | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Delaware Delegation
Delaware's at-large congressional seat saw a close contest, with the incumbent Republican narrowly retaining his position.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
At-large | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Florida Delegation
Florida's congressional delegation remained predominantly Democratic, with incumbents securing re-election in most districts.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | J. Hardin Peterson | Democratic | 1932 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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2 | Emory H. Price | Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent lost renomination. Democratic hold. |
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3 | Bob Sikes | Democratic | 1940 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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4 | George Smathers | Democratic | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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5 | Joe Hendricks | Democratic | 1936 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
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6 | Dwight L. Rogers | Democratic | 1944 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Georgia Delegation
Georgia's congressional delegation remained solidly Democratic, with all incumbents winning re-election, often without opposition.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Prince Hulon Preston Jr. | Democratic | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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2 | E. Eugene Cox | Democratic | 1924 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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3 | Stephen Pace | Democratic | 1936 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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4 | A. Sidney Camp | Democratic | 1939 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
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5 | James C. Davis | Democratic | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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6 | Carl Vinson | Democratic | 1914 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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7 | Henderson L. Lanham | Democratic | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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8 | William McDonald Wheeler | Democratic | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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9 | John Stephens Wood | Democratic | 1944 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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10 | Paul Brown | Democratic | 1933 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Idaho Delegation
Idaho saw a party switch in its 1st district, with a Democratic gain, while the 2nd district remained Republican.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Abe Goff | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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2 | John C. Sanborn | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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Illinois Delegation
Illinois underwent redistricting prior to the 1948 elections, creating new districts and altering existing ones. The results show a significant Democratic surge, flipping several Republican seats.
District Results
District | Incumbent | Party | First Elected | Result | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William L. Dawson | Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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2 | Richard B. Vail | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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3 | Fred E. Busbey | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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4 | None (new district) | Democratic | New seat | New seat. Democratic gain. |
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5 | Martin Gorski (Redistricted from 4th) |
Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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6 | Thomas J. O'Brien | Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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7 | Adolph J. Sabath (Redistricted from 5th) |
Democratic | 1906 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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8 | Thomas S. Gordon | Democratic | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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9 | Robert Twyman | Republican | 1946 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
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10 | None (new district) | Republican | New seat | New seat. Republican gain. |
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11 | None (new district) | Democratic | New seat | New seat. Democratic gain. |
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12 | None (new district) | Republican | New seat | New seat. Republican gain. |
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13 | Ralph E. Church (Redistricted from 10th) |
Republican | 1942 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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14 | Chauncey W. Reed (Redistricted from 11th) |
Republican | 1934 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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15 | Noah M. Mason (Redistricted from 12th) |
Republican | 1936 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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16 | Leo E. Allen (Redistricted from 13th) |
Republican | 1932 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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17 | Leslie C. Arends | Republican | 1934 | Incumbent re-elected. |
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18 | Everett Dirksen (Redistricted from 16th) |
Republican | 1932 | Incumbent retired. Republican hold. |
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References
References
- September 13, 1948 in Maine
- Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk
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Disclaimer
Important Notice
This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.
This is not professional political or historical advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional consultation or in-depth academic research. Always refer to primary sources and consult with qualified historians or political scientists for specific analyses.
The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.