United States House election, 1842
Encyclopedia
The U.S. House election, 1842 was an election for the United States House of Representatives
in 1842.
Just one election cycle after the Whig Party gained control of Congress, they lost their majority. Whig president William Henry Harrison
died within a month of taking office and his successor, John Tyler
, was disliked by members of both parties. Tyler's widespread unpopularity lead to an enormous defeat for his party, and the Whigs lost 70 seats, giving the Democrats a majority. With the economy rebounding, rural voters also chose the Democratic ticket to turn away from Whig policies of economic nationalism. The Law and Order Party, formed in response to the Dorr Rebellion
in Rhode Island also took seats.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1842.
Just one election cycle after the Whig Party gained control of Congress, they lost their majority. Whig president William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
died within a month of taking office and his successor, John Tyler
John Tyler
John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States . A native of Virginia, Tyler served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President . He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor...
, was disliked by members of both parties. Tyler's widespread unpopularity lead to an enormous defeat for his party, and the Whigs lost 70 seats, giving the Democrats a majority. With the economy rebounding, rural voters also chose the Democratic ticket to turn away from Whig policies of economic nationalism. The Law and Order Party, formed in response to the Dorr Rebellion
Dorr Rebellion
The Dorr Rebellion was a short-lived armed insurrection in the U.S. state of Rhode Island led by Thomas Wilson Dorr, who was agitating for changes to the state's electoral system.- Precursors :...
in Rhode Island also took seats.
Overall results
| Party | Total seats (change) | Seat percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 147 | +49 | 65.9% |
| Whig Party | 72 | -70 | 32.3% |
| Law and Order Party Law and Order Party of Rhode Island The Law and Order Party of Rhode Island was a short-lived political party in the U.S. state of Rhode Island in the 1840s, brought into existence as a consequence of the Dorr Rebellion.-Elected office-holders:* Governor James Fenner... |
2 | +2 | 0.9% |
| Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
2 | +0 | 0.9% |
| Totals | 223 | -19 | 100% |
External links
- http://clerk.house.gov/histHigh/Congressional_History/index.html
- OurCampaigns overview of the 1842-1843 congressional elections