United States House of Representatives elections, 1948

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The U.S. House election, 1948 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1948 which coincided with President Harry Truman's re-election. Truman had campaigned against a 'do-nothing' Republican Party Congress that had opposed his initiatives and was seen as counterproductive. The voters responded by giving his Democratic Party a net additional 75 seats, giving them a large new majority and by surprisingly giving the president a new term in Washington.

Sam Rayburn (D-Texas) became Speaker of the House, exchanging places with new Minority Leader Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R-Massachusetts). Notable freshmen included future President Gerald Ford (R-Mich.) and future Senator, Vice-Presidential candidate, and Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.).

[edit] Overall results

Party	Total Seats (change)		Seat percentage	Popular Vote
Democratic Party	263	+75	60.4%	51.2%
American Labor	1	+0	0.2%	3.0%
Republican Party	171	-75	39.3%	45.4%
Totals	435	+0	100.0%	100.0%

80.1-100% Republican	80.1-100% Democratic
60.1-80% Republican	60.1-80% Democratic

House seats by party holding plurality in state

6+ Republican gain	6+ Democratic gain
3-5 Republican gain	3-5 Democratic gain
1-2 Republican gain	1-2 Democratic gain
no net change

[edit] California

District	Incumbent	Party	Elected	Status	Opponent
California 1	Clarence F. Lea	Democratic	1916	Retiring	Hubert B. Scudder (R) 54.5% Sterling J. Norgard (D) 45.3% Roger Kent (W/I) 0.2%
California 2	Clair Engle	Democratic	1943	Running	Clair Engle (D) (unopposed)
California 3	Justin L. Johnson	Republican	1942	Running	Justin L. Johnson (R) 84.4% James B. "Bert" Willard (IP) 15.6%
California 4	Franck R. Havenner	Democratic	1936/1944	Running	Franck R. Havenner (D) 51.0% William S. Mailliard (R) 47.7% Francis J. McTernan, Jr. (IP) 1.3%
California 5	Richard J. Welch	Republican	1926	Running	Richard J. Welch (R) (unopposed)
California 6	George P. Miller	Democratic	1944	Running	George P. Miller (D) (unopposed)
California 7	John J. Allen, Jr.	Republican	1946	Retiring	John J. Allen, Jr. (R) 51.4% Buel G. Gallagher (D) 48.6%
California 8	John Z. Anderson	Republican	1938	Running	John Z. Anderson (R) 79.9% Paul Taylor (IP) 20.1%
California 9	Bertrand W. Gearhart	Republican	1934	Running	Cecil F. White (D) 51.3% Bertrand W. Gearhart (R) 46.9% Josephine F. Daniels 1.8%
California 10	Alfred J. Elliott	Democratic	1938	Retiring	Thomas H. Werdel (R) 71.3% Sam James Miller (IP) 28.7%
California 11	Ernest K. Bramblett	Republican	1946	Running	Ernest K. Bramblett (R) 80.8% Cole Weston (IP) 13.5% George E. Outland (W/I) 5.7%
California 12	Richard Nixon	Republican	1946	Running	Richard Nixon (R) 87.8% Una W. Rice (IP) 12.2%
California 13	Norris Poulson	Republican	1932/1946	Running	Norris Poulson (R) 52.6% Ned R. Healy (D) 47.4%
California 14	Helen Gahagan Douglas	Democratic	1944	Running	Helen Gahagan Douglas (D) 65.3% W. Wallace Braden (R) 32.5% Sidney Moore (IP) 2.2%
California 15	Gordon L. McDonough	Republican	1944	Running	Gordon L. McDonough (R) 83% Maynard J. Omerberg (IP) 17%
California 16	Donald L. Jackson	Republican	1946	Running	Donald L. Jackson (R) 57% Ellis E. Patterson (D) 43%
California 17	Cecil R. King	Democratic	1942	Running	Cecil R. King (D) (unopposed)
California 18	Willis W. Bradley	Republican	1946	Running	Clyde Doyle (D) 51.1% Willis W. Bradley (R) 44.9% Stanley Moffatt (IP) 4%
California 19	Chet Holifield	Democratic	1942	Running	Chet Holifield (D) 69.7% Joseph Francis Quigley (R) 27.5% Jacob Berman (IP) 1.8% Myra Tanner Weiss (I) 1%
California 20	John Carl Hinshaw	Republican	1938	Running	John Carl Hinshaw (R) 81.6% William B. Esterman (D) 18.4%
California 21	Harry R. Sheppard	Democratic	1936	Running	Harry R. Sheppard (D) 55.2% Lowell E. Lathrop (R) 42.6% Howard G. Louks (IP) 2.2%
California 22	John J. Phillips	Republican	1942	Running	John J. Phillips (R) (unopposed)
California 23	Charles K. Fletcher	Republican	1946	Running	Clinton D. McKinnon (D) 55.8% Charles K. Fletcher (R) 43.2% Harry C. Steinmetz (IP) 1%