States held the 1850âÂÂ51 United States House of Representatives elections between August 5, 1850, and November 4, 1851 during President Millard Fillmore's term. Each state set a date for its elections to the House of Representatives before the first session of the 32nd United States Congress convened on December 1, 1851. Thirty-one states held elections, for 233 House seats.
After previously winning a plurality, the Democrats won a majority over the rival Whigs. Incumbent Whig President Millard Fillmore, who had succeeded to the Presidency in July 1850 after the death of more charismatic General Zachary Taylor, lacked a strong political base. The Compromise of 1850, which admitted California alone as a free state in exchange for concessions to slave state interests, began integration of the Mexican Cession. It appeared in the short term that Congress had politically feasible options to contain sectionalism and to reduce tensions over expanding slavery in the West. This optimism soon would prove unfounded.
In the South, two short-lived minor parties formed, one supporting, and the other opposing, the Compromise of 1850. The supporting Union Party won 10 seats, while the opposing Southern Rights Party won three. The Free Soil Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery into the Western territories, lost seats and was reduced to four Representatives.
One district in Massachusetts had been vacant in the 31st Congress. No new seats were added.
The previous election had 1 Know-Nothing and 1 Independent.
Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|- ! | William J. Alston | | Whig | 1849 | |Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
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The election was held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|- ! | Robert W. Johnson | | Democratic | 1846 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
California's members were elected late, at-large statewide, September 3, 1851. There were nevertheless seated with the rest of the House at the beginning of the first session.
|- ! rowspan=2 | <br /> | George W. Wright | | Independent | 1849 | | Incumbent retired.<br />Democratic gain. | rowspan=2 nowrap |
|- | Edward Gilbert | | Democratic | 1849 | | Incumbent retired.<br />Democratic hold.
Elections were held April 7, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|- ! | Loren P. Waldo | | 1849 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Whig gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Walter Booth | | Free Soil | 1849 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Chauncey F. Cleveland | | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Thomas B. Butler | | Whig | 1849 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
The election was held November 12, 1850.
|- ! | John W. Houston | | Whig | 1844 | |Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
The election was held October 7, 1850.
|- ! | Edward C. Cabell | | Whig | 1845 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Elections were held October 6, 1851.
|- ! | Joseph W. Jackson | | Democratic | 1850 | |Incumbent re-elected.<br>Southern Rights gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Marshall Johnson Wellborn | | Democratic | 1848 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Constitutional Union gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Allen F. Owen | | Whig | 1848 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Southern Rights gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Hugh A. Haralson | | Democratic | 1842 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Constitutional Union gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Thomas C. Hackett | | Democratic | 1848 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Constitutional Union gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Howell Cobb | | Democratic | 1842 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Constitutional Union gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Alexander H. Stephens | | Whig | 1843 | |Incumbent re-elected as a Unionist.<br>Constitutional Union gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Robert Toombs | | Whig | 1844 | |Incumbent re-elected as a Unionist.<br>Constitutional Union gain. | nowrap |
Elections were held November 5, 1850.
|- ! | William H. Bissell | | Democratic | 1848 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | |- ! | John A. McClernand | | Democratic | 1842 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold. | nowrap | |- ! | Timothy R. Young | | Democratic | 1848 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold. | nowrap | |- ! | John Wentworth | | Democratic | 1842 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold. | nowrap | |- !
| William Alexander Richardson | | Democratic | 1847 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | |- ! | Edward D. Baker | | Whig | 1848 | |Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Thomas L. Harris | | Democratic | 1848 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Whig gain. | nowrap |
Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|- ! | Nathaniel Albertson | | Democratic | 1849 | | Incumbent Lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Cyrus L. Dunham | | Democratic | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | John L. Robinson | | Democratic | 1847 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | George W. Julian | | Free Soil | 1849 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Whig gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | John L. Robinson | | Democratic | 1849 | | Incumbent Lost renomination.<br/>Democratic hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Willis A. Gorman | | Democratic | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Edward W. McGaughey | | Whig | 1849 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Joseph E. McDonald | | Democratic | 1849 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Graham N. Fitch | | Democratic | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Andrew J. Harlan | | Democratic | 1849 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Whig gain. | nowrap |
Elections were held August 5, 1850.
|- ! | Daniel F. Miller | | Whig | 1850 | |Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Shepherd Leffler | | Democratic | 1846 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold. | nowrap |
Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|- ! | Linn Boyd | | Democratic | 1839 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | James Leeper Johnson | | Whig | 1849 | | Incumbent renominated but declined.<br/>Whig hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Finis McLean | | Whig | 1849 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Whig hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | George Caldwell | | Democratic | 1849 | |Incumbent retired.<br />Whig gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | John Burton Thompson | | Whig | 1847 | | Incumbent retired.<br>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Daniel Breck | | Whig | 1849 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Whig hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Humphrey Marshall | | Whig | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Charles S. Morehead | | Whig | 1847 | | Incumbent retired.<br>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | John C. Mason | | Democratic | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Richard H. Stanton | | Democratic | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Elections were held November 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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Elections were held September 9, 1850.
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Elections were held October 1, 1851 elections were after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the new term, but still before the Congress convened in December 1851.
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Elections were held November 11, 1850, but at least one district's elections went to multiple ballots into 1851.
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|- ! | colspan=3 | Vacant due to failure to elect. | | Whig gain. | nowrap |
Fourth ballot
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|- ! | Julius Rockwell | | Whig | 1844 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br />Whig hold. | nowrap |
Fourth ballot <br />
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Elections were held November 5, 1850.
|- ! | Alexander W. Buel | | 1848 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br>Whig gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | William Sprague | | Whig | 1848 | | Incumbent retired.<br>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Kinsley S. Bingham | | 1846 | | Incumbent retired.<br>Whig gain. | nowrap |
See Non-voting delegates, below.
Elections were held November 3âÂÂ4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|- ! | Jacob Thompson | | Democratic | 1839 | | Incumbent lost re-election as a Southern Rights candidate.<br />Union gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Winfield S. Featherston | | Democratic | 1847 | | Incumbent lost re-election as a Southern Rights candidate.<br />Union gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | William McWillie | | Democratic | 1849 | | Incumbent lost re-election as a Southern Rights candidate.<br />Union gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Albert G. Brown | | Democratic | 1847 | | Incumbent re-elected as a Southern Rights candidate.<br />Southern Rights gain. | nowrap |
Elections were held August 5, 1850.
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Elections were held March 11, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|- ! | Amos Tuck | | Free Soil | 1847 | | Incumbent won re-election as a Whig.<br/>Whig gain. | nowrap | |- ! | Charles H. Peaslee | | Democratic | 1847 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | |- !
| George W. Morrison | | Democratic | 1850 <small>(special)</small> | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br>Whig gain. | nowrap | |- ! |Harry Hibbard | | Democratic | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
Elections were held November 5, 1850.
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See Non-voting delegates, below.
Elections were held November 5, 1850.
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Elections were held August 7, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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Elections were held October 8, 1850.
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See Non-voting delegates, below.
Elections were held October 8, 1850.
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Elections were held April 2, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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Elections were held October 14âÂÂ15, 1850.
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Elections were held August 7, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|- ! | Andrew Johnson | | Democratic | 1842 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Albert G. Watkins | | Whig | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Josiah M. Anderson | | Whig | 1849 | |Incumbent lost re-election.<br />Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | John H. Savage | | Democratic | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | George W. Jones | | Democratic | 1842 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | George W. Jones (Democratic) 100%
|- ! | James H. Thomas | | Democratic | 1847 | |Incumbent lost re-election.<br />Independent Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Meredith P. Gentry | | Whig | 1845 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | Meredith P. Gentry (Whig) 100%
|- ! | Andrew Ewing | | Democratic | 1849 | |Incumbent retired.<br />Whig gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Isham G. Harris | | Democratic | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Frederick P. Stanton | | Democratic | 1845 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Christopher H. Williams | | Whig | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | Christopher H. Williams (Whig) 100%
Elections were held August 4, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
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See Non-voting delegates, below.
Elections were held September 3, 1850.
|- ! | William Henry | | Whig | 1846 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Whig hold. | nowrap | Second ballot
|- ! | William Hebard | | Whig | 1848 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | James Meacham | | Whig | 1849 <small>(special)</small> | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Lucius B. Peck | | 1846 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Free Soil gain. | nowrap |
Elections were held October 23, 1851, after the March 4, 1851 beginning of the term, but before the House first convened in December 1851.
|- ! | John Millson | | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Richard Kidder Meade | | 1847 <small>(special)</small> | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Thomas H. Averett | | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Thomas S. Bocock | | 1847 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Paulus Powell | | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | James Seddon | | 1845<br/>1847 <small>(retired)</small><br/>1849 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Thomas H. Bayly | | 1844 <small>(special)</small> | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Alexander Holladay | | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Jeremiah Morton | | Ind. Whig | 1849 | | Incumbent lost re-election as a Democrat.<br/>Whig gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Richard Parker | | 1849 | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Whig gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | James McDowell | | 1846 <small>(special)</small> | | Incumbent retired.<br/>Democratic hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | Henry A. Edmundson | | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Fayette McMullen | | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | James M. H. Beale | | 1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | Thomas Haymond | | Whig | 1849 <small>(special)</small> | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br/>Democratic gain. | nowrap |
Elections were held November 5, 1850.
|- ! | Charles Durkee | | Free Soil | 1848 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap | |- ! | Orsamus Cole | | Whig | 1848 | | Incumbent lost re-election.<br />Democratic gain. | nowrap | |- ! | James Duane Doty | | Democratic | 1848 | | Incumbent won re-election as an Independent.<br />Independent Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Henry Hastings Sibley | | Democratic | 1848<br />1849 <br />1849 | Incumbent re-elected. | nowrap |
|- ! | colspan=3 | New seat | | New seat.<br />Democratic gain. | nowrap |
|- ! | Samuel Thurston | | Democratic | 1849 | | Incumbent died April 9, 1851.<br />New delegate elected June 2, 1851.<br />Democratic hold. | nowrap |
|- ! | colspan=3 | New seat | | New seat.<br />Independent gain. | nowrap |