1978 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas
Majority party
Minority party
Party
Democratic
Republican
Last election
22
2
Seats won
20
4
Seat change
Popular vote
1,285,348
889,450
Percentage
58.9%
40.7%
Swing
Democratic
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%
90>%
Republican
50–60%
80–90%
90>%
The 1978 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas occurred on November 7, 1978, to elect the members of the state of Texas's delegation to the United States House of Representatives . Texas had twenty-four seats in the House apportioned according to the 1970 United States census .[ 1]
These elections occurred simultaneously with the United States Senate elections of 1978 , the United States House elections in other states, and various state and local elections.
Democrats maintained their majority of U.S. House seats from Texas, but they lost two seats to the Republicans , decreasing their majority to twenty out of twenty-four seats. These elections produced a high level of turnover due to the retirements of several representatives, as well as the electoral defeat of others.[ 2]
1978 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas[ 3]
Party
Votes
Percentage
Seats before
Seats after
+/–
Democratic
1,285,348
58.90%
22
20
-2
Republican
888,215
40.70%
2
4
+2
La Raza Unida
7,185
0.33%
0
0
-
Socialist Workers
1,632
0.07%
0
0
-
Totals
2,182,380
100.00%
24
24
-
Congressional districts [ edit ] Incumbent Democrat Sam B. Hall ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Charlie Wilson ran for re-election.
Incumbent Republican James M. Collins ran for re-election unopposed.
Incumbent Democrat Ray Roberts ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Jim Mattox ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Olin E. Teague opted to retire rather than run for re-election.[ 4]
Incumbent Republican Bill Archer ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Bob Eckhardt ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Jack Brooks ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat J. J. Pickle ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat William R. Poage opted to retire rather than run for re-election. He resigned on December 31, 1978, four days before his term would have expired.[ 5]
Incumbent Democrat Jim Wright ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Jack Hightower ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat John Andrew Young ran for re-election. He lost in the Democratic Primary to Joseph Wyatt .[ 6]
Incumbent Democrat Kika de la Garza ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Richard Crawford White ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Omar Burleson opted to retire rather than run for re-election.[ 7]
Incumbent Democrat Barbara Jordan opted to retire rather than run for re-election.[ 8]
Incumbent Democrat George H. Mahon opted to retire rather than run for re-election. Future president George W. Bush was defeated in this election.[ 9]
Incumbent Democrat Henry B. González ran for re-election unopposed.
Incumbent Democrat Bob Krueger retired to run for U.S. Senator .[ 10]
Incumbent Democrat Robert Gammage ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Abraham Kazen ran for re-election.
Incumbent Democrat Dale Milford ran for re-election. He lost in the Democratic Primary to Martin Frost .[ 11]
^ "Historical Apportionment Data (1910-2020)" . Census.gov . Retrieved June 17, 2022 .^ Texas State Historical Association (1979). "Texas Almanac, 1980-1981" . The Portal to Texas History . The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved July 8, 2022 .^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Guthrie, Benjamin; Henshaw, Edmund (April 1, 1979). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1978" : 35–36. ^ Walsh, John (January 12, 1979). "Builder of New Science Committee in House, "Tiger" Teague, Retires" . Science . 203 (4376): 155–156. Bibcode :1979Sci...203..155W . doi :10.1126/science.203.4376.155 . PMID 17834709 . ^ "W. R. "Bob" Poage Biography" . August 28, 2003. Archived from the original on August 28, 2003. Retrieved July 16, 2022 .^ Curry, Bill (June 5, 1978). "Young Defeated In Texas Runoff" . Washington Post . ISSN 0190-8286 . Retrieved July 16, 2022 . ^ "OMAR BURLESON DIES" . Washington Post . ISSN 0190-8286 . Retrieved July 16, 2022 .^ Jordan, Barbara; Lyn, Shel Hearon; Barbara Jordan represented the 18th Congressional District of Texas from 1973 through 1978 She now holds the (January 7, 1979). "Barbara Jordan: A Self-Portrait" . Washington Post . ISSN 0190-8286 . Retrieved July 16, 2022 . {{cite news }}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link ) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link )^ "Rep. Mahon of Texas Says He Will Retire" . The New York Times . July 7, 1977. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved July 16, 2022 .^ Curry, Bill (May 4, 1978). "Texas Senate Race Pits the Scholar Against Just Plain 'Joe' . The Washington Post . Retrieved July 15, 2022 . ^ Communications, Emmis (January 1979). Texas Monthly
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