Roosevelt's Democratic Party lost 45 seats to the Republican Party, retaining only a slender majority even though they lost the popular vote by over 1 million votes (3.9%). 1942 remains the most recent election in which Democrats won a majority in the House without a majority of votes, and only the second time in the 20th century that this occurred, after 1914.
This was the most successful congressional election for Republicans since 1930, and the first time since that election cycle that the House GOP actually won the popular vote.[2] The main factor that led to the Republican gains during this election cycle was dissatisfaction with the conduct of America’s war effort in World War II.[1] As of 2024[update], this was the last time the House of Representatives was made up of five parties. This was also the smallest House majority that the Democrats had up until the 2020 elections. Voter turnout was historically low for the time, which was attributed to the absence of military men and the apathy of workers at war production plants, many of whom had failed to re-register to vote in their new communities or become accustomed to local candidates.[1]
Incumbent resigned September 5, 1942, to serve in the U.S. Army. New member elected November 3, 1942. Republican gain. Winner redistricted to the 8th district and retired; see below.
Three new seats were added in reapportionment, increasing the delegation from 20 to 23 seats. Two of the new seats were won by Democrats, one by a Republican. One Republican and one Democratic incumbents lost re-election, and one vacancy was won by a Republican. Therefore, both Democrats and Republicans increased by 2 seats.
Indiana was redrawn from 12 districts to 11 after reapportionment; most of the districts underwent minor boundary changes, and the old 11th district was divided up, distributing Madison County to the 5th, Hancock County to the 10th, and consolidating the parts of Marion County in the old 11th and Indianapolis-based 12th into a new 11th.[6] This forced incumbents William Larrabee and Raymond S. Springer to run against each other in a district drawn mainly from Springer's old district.
Iowa was redistricted from 9 to 8 districts, with the most substantial changes being merging the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th districts in northeastern Iowa down to 2 districts.[6]
Kansas was reapportioned from 7 districts to 6, with the central Kansas 4th district losing territory on its north and gaining most of the old 5th district around Wichita.[6]
Massachusetts was reapportioned from 15 districts down to 14, with the most affected incumbent being Thomas H. Eliot of the former 9th, whose western Boston suburbs were moved into the 10th and 4th while his Cambridge residence was pulled into the more urban 11th,[6] where he was defeated in the primary by James Michael Curley.
Redistricted from 5 districts down to 4; the 4th and 1st districts were merged into each other, with the other three districts all gaining some territory on the south.[6]
North Carolina was reapportioned from 11 seats to 12, and reorganized the existing 10th and 11th districts (in the mountainous west of the state) into three districts.[6]
Oregon redistricted from 3 districts to 4 by splitting the old 1st district (the western part of the state except Multnomah County) and putting the southern half (Linn and Lane counties and the counties to the south) into a 4th district.
Pennsylvania was reapportioned from 34 to 33 representatives, and redistricted from 34 to 32 geographical districts with one new at-large district. The Philadelphia-area districts were left pretty much unchanged, with the removal of one district in north-central Pennsylvania and another in Pittsburgh and compensating adjustments to nearby districts.
Tennessee was reapportioned from 9 districts to 10, and added an additional district in the central part of the state, allowing Davidson County to have its own district.
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