The 1958 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for the United States House of Representatives to elect members to serve in the 86th United States Congress. They were held for the most part on November 4, 1958, in the middle of Dwight Eisenhower's second presidential term, while Maine held theirs on September 8. There were 436 seats during these elections: 435 from the reapportionment in accordance with the 1950 census, and one seat for Alaska, the new state that would officially join the union on January 3, 1959.
The economy was suffering the Recession of 1958, which Democrats blamed on Eisenhower. The President's Republican Party lost 48 seats in this midterm election, increasing the Democratic Party's majority to a commanding level that Republicans would not be able to overcome for another 36 years.[1] Another factor which may have contributed to the Democratic gains include public consternation over the launch of Sputnik and Cold War politics.
Incumbent resigned December 1, 1957 to become the first Director of the IAEA. New member elected January 14, 1958. Republican hold. Winner was subsequently re-elected in November.
Incumbent resigned January 5, 1958, after being elected judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas No. 1. New member elected May 20, 1958. Democratic hold. Successor was subsequently re-elected in November.
Washington redistricted its at-large seat into a 7th district formed in the Seattle suburbs designed to include the at-large incumbent Don Magnuson's residence.[5]
^Increase is due to the admission of Alaska and Hawaii, whose seats were temporarily additional to the usual 435, until reapportionment following 1960.
^ abMartis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress, 1789-1989. Prentice Hall College Div. ISBN0-02-920170-5.
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