1998 United States House of Representatives elections in California
← 1996 November 3, 1998 (1998-11-03) 2000 →
All 52 California seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 29 23
Seats won 28 24
Seat change Decrease1 Increase1
Popular vote 4,131,092 3,527,244
Percentage 51.41% 43.90%
Results:
     Democratic hold      Democratic gain
     Republican hold      Republican gain
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The United States House of Representatives elections in California, 1998 was an election for California's delegation to the United States House of Representatives, which occurred as part of the general election of the House of Representatives on November 3, 1998. Democrats gained the 1st district but lost the 3rd and 36th (which they would gain back in 2000) districts for a net loss of one seat.

This was the last time until a special election in 2020 where a Republican flipped a Democrat-held U.S. House seat in California, and also the last time until 2020 that Republicans flipped a Democrat-held seat in a general election.

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in California, 1998
Party Votes % Before After +/–
Democratic 4,131,092 51.41% 29 28 -1
Republican 3,527,244 43.90% 23 24 +1
Libertarian 202,542 2.52% 0 0 0
Natural Law 113,601 1.41% 0 0 0
Green 23,906 0.30% 0 0 0
American Independent 14,587 0.18% 0 0 0
Peace and Freedom 14,070 0.18% 0 0 0
Reform 7,628 0.09% 0 0 0
Write-ins 793 0.01% 0 0 0
Invalid or blank votes 628,189 7.25% — — —
Totals 8,662,859 100.00% 52 52 —

Separate elections

See also: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives in California

Three special elections were held apart from those in November. The elected winners would serve the remainder of the incumbent Congress and face re-election in November.

Date District Reason & Result Candidates
March 10, 1998 California 22 Walter Capps (D) died October 28, 1997
Democratic hold
Winner was subsequently re-elected in November 		Lois Capps (D)
Tom Bordonaro (R)
Robert Bakhaus (L)
April 7, 1998 California 9 Ron Dellums (D) resigned February 6, 1998
Democratic hold
Winner was subsequently re-elected in November 		Barbara Lee (D)
Greg Harper (D)
Claiborne Sanders (R)
Randal Stewart (D)
April 7, 1998 California 44 Sonny Bono (R) died January 5, 1998
Republican hold
Winner was subsequently re-elected in November 		Mary Bono (R)
Ralph Waite (D)
Anna Nevenich (D)
John W. J. Overman (D)
Tom Hamey (R)
Bud Mathewson (R)

Results

Final results from the Secretary of State of California: [1]

District 1

California's 1st congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Thompson 121,713 61.85
Republican Mark Luce 64,622 32.84
Libertarian Emil Rossi 5,404 2.75
Peace and Freedom Ernest K. Jones, Jr. 4,996 2.54
No party Lawrence R. Weisner (write-in) 37 0.02
Invalid or blank votes 11,017 5.30
Total votes 207,789 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic gain from Republican

District 2

California's 2nd congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Wally Herger (incumbent) 128,372 62.51
Democratic Roberts "Rob" Braden 70,837 34.49
Natural Law Patrice Thiessen 6,138 2.99
No party Stephen F. Scott (write-in) 20 0.01
Invalid or blank votes 10,185 4.73
Total votes 215,552 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 3

California's 3rd congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Doug Ose 100,621 52.41
Democratic Sandie Dunn 86,471 45.04
Libertarian Ross Crain 4,914 2.56
Invalid or blank votes 12,040 5.90
Total votes 204,046 100.00
Turnout  
Republican gain from Democratic

District 4

California's 4th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Doolittle (incumbent) 155,306 62.57
Democratic David Shapiro 85,394 34.40
Libertarian Dan Winterrowd 7,524 3.03
Invalid or blank votes 15,715 5.95
Total votes 263,939 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 5

California's 5th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert Matsui (incumbent) 130,715 71.89
Republican Robert Dinsmore 47,307 26.02
Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma 3,746 2.06
No party Ken Adams (write-in) 70 0.04
Invalid or blank votes 9,856 5.14
Total votes 191,694 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 6

California's 6th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lynn Woolsey (incumbent) 158,446 68.01
Republican Ken McAuliffe 69,295 29.74
Natural Law Alan R. Barreca 5,240 2.25
Invalid or blank votes 10,861 4.45
Total votes 243,842 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 7

California's 7th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George Miller (incumbent) 125,842 76.67
Republican Norman H. Reece 38,290 23.33
Invalid or blank votes 10,178 5.84
Total votes 174,310 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 8

California's 8th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nancy Pelosi (incumbent) 148,027 85.83
Republican David J. Martz 20,781 12.05
Natural Law David Smithstein 3,654 2.12
Invalid or blank votes 20,405 10.58
Total votes 195,996 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 9

California's 9th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Barbara Lee (incumbent) 140,722 82.83
Republican Claiborne "Clay" Sanders 22,431 13.20
Peace and Freedom Gerald Sanders 4,767 2.81
Natural Law Walter Ruehlig 1,975 1.16
Invalid or blank votes 14,602 7.91
Total votes 184,497 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 10

California's 10th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ellen Tauscher (incumbent) 127,134 53.46
Republican Charles Ball 103,299 43.44
Natural Law Valerie Janlois 3,941 1.66
Reform John Place 3,435 1.44
Invalid or blank votes 12,418 4.96
Total votes 250,227 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 11

California's 11th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Pombo (incumbent) 95,496 61.43
Democratic Robert L. Figueroa 56,345 36.25
Libertarian Jesse Baird 3,608 2.32
Invalid or blank votes 12,653 7.53
Total votes 168,102 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 12

California's 12th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Lantos (incumbent) 128,135 73.98
Republican Robert H. Evans, Jr. 36,562 21.11
Libertarian Michael J. Moloney 8,515 4.92
Invalid or blank votes 14,592 7.77
Total votes 187,804 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 13

California's 13th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pete Stark (incumbent) 101,671 71.20
Republican James R. Goetz 38,050 26.65
Natural Law Karnig Beylikjian 3,066 2.15
Invalid or blank votes 11,847 7.66
Total votes 154,634 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 14

California's 14th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Anna Eshoo (incumbent) 129,663 68.64
Republican John C. "Chris" Haugen 53,719 28.44
Libertarian Joseph W. Dehn III 3,166 1.68
Natural Law Anna Currivan 2,362 1.25
Invalid or blank votes 9,744 4.91
Total votes 198,654 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 15

California's 15th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Campbell (incumbent) 111,876 60.54
Democratic Dick Lane 70,059 37.91
Natural Law Frank Strutner 2,843 1.54
No party Constant Vlakancic (write-in) 8 0.00
Invalid or blank votes 12,654 6.41
Total votes 197,440 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 16

California's 16th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Zoe Lofgren (incumbent) 85,503 72.82
Republican Horace Eugene Thayn 27,494 23.42
Natural Law John H. Black 4,417 3.76
Invalid or blank votes 8,511 6.76
Total votes 125,925 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 17

California's 17th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sam Farr (incumbent) 103,719 64.55
Republican Bill McCampbell 52,470 32.65
Libertarian Rick Garrett 2,791 1.74
Natural Law Scott R. Hartley 1,710 1.06
Invalid or blank votes 9,020 5.31
Total votes 169,710 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 18

California's 18th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gary Condit (incumbent) 118,842 86.79
Libertarian Linda M. Degroat 18,089 13.21
Invalid or blank votes 10,790 7.30
Total votes 147,721 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 19

California's 19th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Radanovich (incumbent) 131,105 79.4
Libertarian Jonathan Richter 34,044 20.6
Invalid or blank votes 18,249 9.95
Total votes 183,398 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 20

California's 20th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cal Dooley (incumbent) 60,599 60.73
Republican Cliff Unruh 39,183 39.27
Invalid or blank votes 6,181 5.83
Total votes 105,963 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 21

California's 21st congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bill Thomas (incumbent) 115,989 78.91
Reform John Evans 30,994 21.09
Invalid or blank votes 14,516 8.99
Total votes 161,499 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 22

California's 22nd congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lois Capps (incumbent) 111,388 55.09
Republican Tom J. Bordonaro Jr. 86,921 42.99
Libertarian Robert Bakhaus 2,618 1.29
Reform Richard D. "Dick" Porter 1,263 0.62
Invalid or blank votes 6,575 3.15
Total votes 208,765 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 23

California's 23rd congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elton Gallegly (incumbent) 96,362 60.06
Democratic Daniel "Dan" Gonzalez 64,068 39.94
Invalid or blank votes 10,739 6.27
Total votes 171,169 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 24

California's 24th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Sherman (incumbent) 103,491 57.31
Republican Randy Hoffman 69,501 38.49
Natural Law Catherine Carter 3,033 1.68
Libertarian Erich D. Miller 2,695 1.49
Peace and Freedom Ralph Shroyer 1,860 1.03
Invalid or blank votes 11,710 6.09
Total votes 192,290 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 25

California's 25th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Howard McKeon (incumbent) 114,013 74.67
Libertarian Bruce Acker 38,669 25.33
Invalid or blank votes 19,092 11.11
Total votes 171,774 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 26

California's 26th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Howard Berman (incumbent) 69,000 82.47
Libertarian Juan Carlos Ros 6,556 7.84
Green Maria Armoudian 4,858 5.81
Natural Law David L. Cossak 3,248 3.88
Invalid or blank votes 9,803 10.49
Total votes 93,465 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 27

California's 27th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Rogan (incumbent) 80,702 50.73
Democratic Barry A. Gordon 73,875 46.44
Libertarian Bob New 4,489 2.82
Invalid or blank votes 10,853 6.39
Total votes 169,919 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 28

California's 28th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Dreier (incumbent) 90,607 57.64
Democratic Janice M. Nelson 61,721 39.26
Libertarian Jerry R. Douglas 2,099 1.34
Green Walt Contreras Sheasby 1,954 1.24
Natural Law M. Lawrence Allison 819 0.52
Invalid or blank votes 10,620 6.33
Total votes 167,820 100.00
Turnout
Republican hold

District 29

California's 29th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry Waxman (incumbent) 131,561 73.87
Republican Mike Gottlieb 40,282 22.62
Libertarian Mike Binkley 3,534 1.98
Natural Law Karen Blasdell-Wilkinson 2,717 1.53
Invalid or blank votes 11,809 6.22
Total votes 189,903 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 30

California's 30th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Xavier Becerra (incumbent) 58,230 81.25
Republican Patricia Parker 13,441 18.75
Invalid or blank votes 6,325 8.11
Total votes 77,996 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 31

California's 31st congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Matthew G. Martinez (incumbent) 61,173 70.02
Republican Frank C. Moreno 19,786 22.65
Green Krista Lieberg-Wong 4,377 5.01
Libertarian Michael B. Everling 1,121 1.28
Natural Law Gary Hearne 903 1.03
Invalid or blank votes 7,683 8.08
Total votes 95,043 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 32

California's 32nd congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Julian C. Dixon (incumbent) 112,253 86.69
Republican Laurence Ardito 14,622 11.29
Libertarian Velko Milosevich 2,617 2.02
Invalid or blank votes 11,836 8.37
Total votes 141,328 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 33

California's 33rd congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lucille Roybal-Allard (incumbent) 43,310 87.19
Republican Wayne Miller 6,364 12.81
Invalid or blank votes 4,996 9.14
Total votes 54,670 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 34

California's 34th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Grace Napolitano 76,471 67.63
Republican Ed Perez 32,321 28.58
Libertarian Jason Heath 2,195 1.94
American Independent Walter Scott 2,088 1.85
Invalid or blank votes 9,381 7.66
Total votes 122,456 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 35

California's 35th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maxine Waters (incumbent) 78,732 89.32
American Independent Gordon Michael Mego 9,413 10.68
Invalid or blank votes 9,079 9.34
Total votes 117,567 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 36

California's 36th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven T. Kuykendall 88,843 48.89
Democratic Janice Hahn 84,624 46.57
Green Robin Barrett 3,612 1.99
Libertarian Kerry Welsh 3,066 1.69
Reform John R. Konopka 1,561 0.86
Invalid or blank votes 13,140 6.74
Total votes 194,846 100.00
Turnout  
Republican gain from Democratic

District 37

California's 37th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Juanita Millender-McDonald (inc.) 70,026 85.06
Republican Saul E. Lankster 12,301 14.94
Invalid or blank votes 11,036 11.82
Total votes 93,363 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 38

California's 38th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Horn (incumbent) 88,136 52.93
Democratic Peter Mathews 71,627 44.31
Libertarian David Bowers 3,705 2.75
No party Margherita Underhill (write-in) 17 0.01
Invalid or blank votes 10,085 6.96
Total votes 173,570 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 39

California's 39th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ed Royce (incumbent) 97,366 62.63
Democratic A. "Cecy" R. Groom 52,815 33.97
Libertarian Jack Dean 3,347 2.15
Natural Law Ron Jevning 1,937 1.25
Invalid or blank votes 12,719 7.56
Total votes 168,184 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 40

California's 40th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jerry Lewis (incumbent) 97,406 64.88
Democratic Robert "Bob" Conaway 47,897 31.90
Libertarian Maurice Maybena 4,822 3.21
Invalid or blank votes 10,135 6.32
Total votes 160,260 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 41

California's 41st congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Gary Miller 68,310 53.20
Democratic Eileen R. Ansari 52,264 40.70
Green Cynthia Allaire 3,597 2.80
Libertarian Kenneth E. Valentine 2,529 1.97
Natural Law David F. Kramer 1,714 1.33
Invalid or blank votes 8,048 5.90
Total votes 136,462 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 42

California's 42nd congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George Brown, Jr. (incumbent) 62,207 55.29
Republican Elia Pirozzi 45,328 40.28
American Independent Hale McGee 3,086 2.74
Libertarian David Lynn Hollist 1,899 1.69
Invalid or blank votes 6,576 5.52
Total votes 119,096 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 43

California's 43rd congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ken Calvert (incumbent) 83,012 55.69
Democratic Mike Rayburn 56,373 37.82
Green Phill Courtney 5,508 3.69
Natural Law Annie Wallack 4,178 2.80
Invalid or blank votes 9,064 5.73
Total votes 158,135 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 44

California's 44th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mary Bono (incumbent) 97,013 60.06
Democratic Ralph Waite 57,697 35.72
Natural Law Jim J. Meuer 6,818 4.22
Invalid or blank votes 8,675 5.10
Total votes 170,203 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 45

California's 45th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dana Rohrabacher (incumbent) 94,296 58.65
Democratic Patricia W. Neal 60,022 37.33
Libertarian Don Hull 4,337 2.70
Natural Law William "Bill" Verkamp Jr. 2,115 1.32
Invalid or blank votes 13,724 7.87
Total votes 174,494 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 46

California's 46th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Loretta Sanchez (incumbent) 47,964 56.43
Republican Bob Dornan 33,388 39.28
Libertarian Thomas E. Reimer 2,316 2.72
Natural Law Larry G. Engwall 1,334 1.57
Invalid or blank votes 4,698 5.24
Total votes 89,700 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 47

California's 47th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Christopher Cox (incumbent) 132,711 67.60
Democratic Christina Avalos 57,938 29.51
Libertarian Victor A. Wagner, Jr. 2,991 1.52
Reform Raymond O. Mills 1,369 0.70
Natural Law Paul Fisher 1,307 0.67
Invalid or blank votes 15,026 7.11
Total votes 211,342 100.00
Turnout
Republican hold

District 48

California's 48th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ron Packard (incumbent) 138,948 76.89
Natural Law Sharon K. Miles 23,262 12.87
Libertarian Daniel L. Muhe 18,509 10.24
Invalid or blank votes 25,874 12.52
Total votes 206,593 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 49

California's 49th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brian Bilbray (incumbent) 90,516 48.79
Democratic Christine Kehoe 86,400 46.57
Libertarian Ernest Lippe 3,327 1.79
Natural Law Julia F. Simon 2,829 1.52
Peace and Freedom Janice Jordan 2,447 1.32
Invalid or blank votes 11,370 5.77
Total votes 196,889 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 50

California's 50th congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Filner (incumbent) 77,354 99.18
No party Jon Parungoa (write-in) 596 0.77
No party Petra E. Barajas (write-in) 41 0.05
Invalid or blank votes 37,243 32.32
Total votes 115,234 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

District 51

California's 51st congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Duke Cunningham (incumbent) 126,229 61.02
Democratic Dan Kripke 71,706 34.66
Libertarian Jack Anderson 5,411 2.62
Natural Law Eric Bourdette 3,532 1.71
No party Don J. Pando (write-in) 0 0.00
Invalid or blank votes 15,616 7.02
Total votes 222,494 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

District 52

California's 52nd congressional district election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Duncan Hunter (incumbent) 116,251 75.70
Libertarian Lynn Badler 21,933 14.28
Natural Law Adrienne Pelton 15,380 10.02
No party Bill Warren (write-in) 4 0.00
Invalid or blank votes 18,625 10.82
Total votes 172,193 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

See also

References

External links

(1997 โ†) ย  1998 United States elections ย  (โ†’ 1999)
Elections in California
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