The 2006 United States House of Representatives elections were held on November 7, 2006, to elect members to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

. It took place in the middle of President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

's second term in office. All 435 seats of the House were up for election. Those elected served in the

110th United States Congress The 110th United States Congress was a List of United States Congresses, meeting of the United States Congress, legislative branch of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and J ...

from January 3, 2007, until January 3, 2009. The incumbent majority party, the Republicans, had won majorities in the House consecutively since

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

, and were defeated by the Democrats who won a majority in the chamber, ending 12 years of Republican control in the House. The Republicans had won a 232-seat majority in 2004, but by the time of the 2006 election, they held 229 seats, while the Democrats held 201, plus 1

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

(

Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician and activist who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from the state of Vermont. He is the longest-serving independ ...

) who caucused with the Democrats. There were also four vacancies. Democrats needed to pick up 15 seats to take control of the House, which had been in Republican control since January 1995. Along with the historical " sixth-year itch" that has plagued many incumbent presidents in midterm elections, the public's perception of

, the handling of the

Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...

and the

War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...

, and a series of political scandals involving mostly congressional Republicans took their toll on the party at the ballot box. The final result was a 31-seat pickup for the Democrats, including the pickup of the Vermont at-large seat, previously held by Independent

(who ran instead for U.S. Senate), who caucused with the Democrats. Democrats defeated 22 Republican incumbents and won eight open Republican-held seats. For the first time since the party's founding, Republicans won no seats previously held by Democrats and defeated no Democratic incumbents. It was the largest seat gain for the Democrats since the 1974 elections. Among the new Democrats were the first Muslim in Congress ( Keith Ellison) and the first two Buddhists (

Mazie Hirono Mazie Keiko Hirono (; Japanese name: , ; born November 3, 1947) is an American lawyer and politician serving since 2013 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from Hawaii. A member of the ...

and

Hank Johnson Henry Calvin Johnson Jr. (born October 2, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is anchored in Atlanta's inner eastern suburbs, inclu ...

). As a result of the Democratic victory,

Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia Pelosi ( ; ; born March 26, 1940) is an American politician who was the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011 an ...

became the first female and the first Californian House Speaker. As of , this is the only House election cycle where only one party flipped any seats, the last time Republicans won a House race in Connecticut or more than one House seat in New Mexico, and the last time Democrats won more than one House seat in Kansas. Several members of the House first elected in 2006 have gone on to receive national attention, including Gabby Giffords and Michele Bachmann; United States senators

Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Elizabeth Gillibrand (; ; born December 9, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from New York (state), New York since 2009 ...

, Dean Heller,

, and Chris Murphy; senator and ambassador Joe Donnelly; former speaker

Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthy (born January 26, 1965) is an American politician who served as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 55th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from January until he was Remova ...

; Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison; and governor and vice-presidential candidate

Tim Walz Timothy James Walz (; born April 6, 1964) is an American politician who has served since 2019 as the 41st governor of Minnesota. He was the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States, vice pre ...

Results

Federal

, - !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" colspan="2" rowspan="2" , Party !style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" colspan="4" , Seats !style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" colspan="3" , Popular vote , - ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" ,

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" , 2006 ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" , Net
change ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" , % ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" , Vote ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" , % ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" , +/− , - , style="background-color: #0000ff; width: 5px" , , style="text-align: left" , Democratic Party , style="text-align:right;" , 202 , style="text-align:right;" , 233 , style="text-align:right;" , 31 , style="text-align:right;" , 53.6% , style="text-align:right;" , 42,338,795 , style="text-align:right;" , 52.3% , style="text-align:right;" , +5.5% , - , style="background-color: #ff0000; width: 5px" , , style="text-align: left" , Republican Party , style="text-align:right;" , 232 , style="text-align:right;" , 202 , style="text-align:right;" , 30 , style="text-align:right;" , 46.4% , style="text-align:right;" , 35,857,334 , style="text-align:right;" , 44.3% , style="text-align:right;" , −5.1% , - , - , style="background-color:;" , , style="text-align:left;" , Libertarian Party , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , 656,764 , style="text-align:right;" , 0.8% , style="text-align:right;" , −0.1% , - , - , style="background-color:;" , , style="text-align:left;" ,

, style="text-align:right;" , 1 , style="text-align:right;" , 0 , style="text-align:right;" , 1 , style="text-align:right;" , - , style="text-align:right;" , 417,895 , style="text-align:right;" , 0.5% , style="text-align:right;" , −0.1% , - , - , style="background-color:;" , , style="text-align:left;" , Green Party , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , 243,391 , style="text-align:right;" , 0.3% , style="text-align:right;" , - , - , - , style="background-color:;" , , style="text-align:left;" , Constitution Party , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , 91,133 , style="text-align:right;" , 0.1% , style="text-align:right;" , −0.1% , - , - , style="background-color:;" , , style="text-align:left;" , Independence Party , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , 85,815 , style="text-align:right;" , 0.1% , style="text-align:right;" , - , - , - , style="background-color:;" , , style="text-align:left;" , Reform Party , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , 53,862 , style="text-align:right;" , 0.1% , style="text-align:right;" , − , - , - , style="background-color:;" , , style="text-align:left;" , Other parties , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , − , style="text-align:right;" , 1,230,548 , style="text-align:right;" , 1.5% , style="text-align:right;" , −0.1% , - , style="background-color: #f2f2f2; text-align:right; font-weight: bold" colspan="2" , Totals , style="text-align:right;background-color: #f2f2f2; font-weight: bold" , 435 , style="text-align:right;background-color: #f2f2f2; font-weight: bold" , 435 , style="text-align:right;background-color: #f2f2f2; font-weight: bold" , − , style="text-align:right;background-color: #f2f2f2; font-weight: bold" , 100.0% , style="text-align:right;background-color: #f2f2f2; font-weight: bold" , 80,975,537 , style="text-align:right;background-color: #f2f2f2; font-weight: bold" , 100.0% , style="text-align:right;background-color: #f2f2f2; font-weight: bold" , − , - !style=text-align:left colspan=10, Voter turnout: 36.8% , - , - style="background-color:#E9E9E9" , style="text-align:left;" colspan=9 , Sources
Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk

Voter demographics

Source: CNN exit poll

Maps

File:2006 House elections vote share.svg, Results shaded by winners' share of vote File:2006 US House of Representatives Election by States.svg, Popular vote by states File:110 us house changes.svg, Summary of party changes File:US House Winning Margins Runoff.png, Winning margins in all House races

Retiring incumbents

27 incumbents did not seek re-election. The four vacancies were , to be filled at the same time as the general election with the winner taking office in November immediately after the votes were certified; , with a separate special election on the same day; and and , which did not have special elections to fill the vacancies before January 2007. had been held by Democrat Bob Menendez, Texas's 22nd congressional district had been held by Republican

Tom DeLay Thomas Dale DeLay (; born April 8, 1947) is an American author and retired politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, DeLay represented Texas's 22nd congress ...

, Ohio's 18th congressional district had been held by Republican Robert Ney, and Florida's 16th congressional district had been held by Republican Mark Foley. Democrats won all four races.

Democratic incumbents

Nine Democrats retired, all of whom were replaced by Democrats. # : Jim Davis # :

Ed Case Edward Espenett Case (born September 27, 1952) is an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as the U.S. representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district since 2019, which covers the urban core o ...

# : Lane Evans # : Ben Cardin # : Martin Olav Sabo # : Major Owens # : Ted Strickland # : Sherrod Brown # : Harold Ford Jr.

Republican incumbents

Seventeen Republicans retired, twelve of whom were replaced by Republicans and five replaced by Democrats. # : Jim Kolbe # : Bill Thomas # : Joel Hefley # : Bob Beauprez # : Michael Bilirakis # : Katherine Harris # : Butch Otter # : Henry Hyde # : Jim Nussle # : Mark Kennedy # : Tom Osborne # : Jim Gibbons # : Sherwood Boehlert # : Mike Oxley # : Ernest Istook # : Bill Jenkins # : Mark Andrew Green

Independent incumbent

One independent who caucused with the Democrats retired, and was replaced by a Democrat. # Vermont's at-large:

Defeated incumbents

Defeated in primary elections

Two incumbents were defeated in their party's respective primaries, which their respective parties held in the general election. # : Cynthia McKinney (D) # : Joe Schwarz (R)

Defeated in general election

22 Republican incumbents were defeated by Democrats. # J. D. Hayworth # Richard Pombo # Rob Simmons #

Nancy Johnson Nancy Elizabeth Johnson (née Lee; born January 5, 1935) is an American lobbyist and politics in the United States, politician from the U.S. state, state of Connecticut. Johnson was a United States Republican Party, Republican member of the Un ...

# E. Clay Shaw # Chris Chocola # John Hostettler # Mike Sodrel # Jim Leach # Jim Ryun # Anne Northup # Gil Gutknecht # Jeb Bradley # Charles Bass # Sue Kelly # John E. Sweeney # Charles H. Taylor # Melissa Hart # Curt Weldon #

Mike Fitzpatrick Michael Gerard Fitzpatrick (June 28, 1963 – January 6, 2020) was an American attorney and politician who served as a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 2005 to ...

# Don Sherwood # Henry Bonilla

Open seats that changed parties

Five Republicans who retired were replaced by Democrats. # : Jim Kolbe was replaced by Gabby Giffords. # : Bob Beauprez was replaced by Ed Perlmutter. # : Jim Nussle was replaced by Bruce Braley. # : Sherwood Boehlert was replaced by Mike Arcuri. # : Mark Andrew Green was replaced by Steve Kagan. One independent who caucused with the Democrats retired, and was replaced by a Democrat. # Vermont's at-large:

was replaced by Peter Welch.

Closest races

Sixty races were decided by 10% or lower.

Election ratings

Special elections

There were two special elections in 2006 to the

109th United States Congress The 109th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005, to January 3, 2007, du ...

, listed here by date and district. , - ! , Duke Cunningham , , 1990 , , Incumbent resigned December 1, 2005 amid the Cunningham scandal.
New member elected June 6, 2006.
Republican hold. , nowrap , , - ! ,

, ,

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

, , Incumbent resigned June 9, 2006 following indictment.
New member elected November 7, 2006.
Republican hold. , nowrap ,

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Georgia's delegation was redistricted in 2005.

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Texas's 22nd district was held by

who had resigned. The Democratic Party sued to prevent the Republican Party from replacing Tom DeLay (who was determined to be the candidate in March 2006) with another candidate. The courts agreed with the Democratic Party and the Supreme Court has refused to hear the appeal. On August 8, 2006, Tom DeLay officially withdrew his name as the Republican candidate. (The court decision did not allow the Republican Party from changing its candidate, however it did not prevent Tom DeLay from withdrawing altogether.) Texas's 23rd district was declared unconstitutional by the

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

, which ordered the district re-drawn. This affected the 15th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, and 28th districts, which had a blanket primary on Election Day, followed by a runoff on December 6 in District 23, where no candidate got a majority of the vote.

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Non-voting delegates

Notes

References

External links

2006 Election Guide
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''
check on voter registration

from the U.S.

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