The U.S. House election in 1908 for the U.S. House of Representatives

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...

 coincided with the 1908 presidential election, which William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...

 won.

Taft was not as popular as his predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...

, but won with Roosevelt's backing, and his Republican Party lost only a handful of seats to the opposition Democrats. Without any striking national issues, the Republicans were able to remain in control. Regional issues led to some changes in House membership, but new Democrats who were elected by dissatisfied industrial workers were balanced out by new Republicans who gained seats in districts with a strong middle class presence.

Overall results

Party	Total seats (change)		Seat percentage
Republican Party	219	-4	56.0%
Democratic Party	172	+5	43.9%
Totals	391	+0	100.0%

California

District	Incumbent	Party	Elected	Status	Opponent
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...  1	William F. Englebright William F. Englebright William Fellows Englebright was a U.S. Representative from California, father of Harry Lane Englebright.Born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Englebright moved with his parents to Vallejo, California....	Republican	1906	Running	William F. Englebright William F. Englebright William Fellows Englebright was a U.S. Representative from California, father of Harry Lane Englebright.Born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Englebright moved with his parents to Vallejo, California....  (R) 54.1% E. W. Holland (D) 36.8% D. N. Cunningham (S) 7.6% W. P. Fassett (Proh.) 1.4%
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...  2	Duncan E. McKinlay Duncan E. McKinlay Duncan E. McKinlay was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, McKinlay attended the common schools....	Republican	1904	Running	Duncan E. McKinlay Duncan E. McKinlay Duncan E. McKinlay was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Orillia, Ontario, Canada, McKinlay attended the common schools....  (R) 57.5% W. K. Hays (D) 38.5% A. J. Gaylord (S) 4%
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...  3	Joseph R. Knowland Joseph R. Knowland Joseph Russell Knowland was an American politician and newspaper publisher. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from California and was owner, editor and publisher of the Oakland Tribune. He was the father of United States Senator William F...	Republican	1904	Running	Joseph R. Knowland Joseph R. Knowland Joseph Russell Knowland was an American politician and newspaper publisher. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from California and was owner, editor and publisher of the Oakland Tribune. He was the father of United States Senator William F...  (R) 64.1% George W. Peckham (D) 22.8% O. H. Philbrick (S) 9.3% John A. Sands (IL) 2.1% T. H. Montgomery (Proh.) 1.7%
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...  4	Julius Kahn Julius Kahn Julius Kahn was a United States Congressman who was succeeded by his wife Florence Prag Kahn after his death. Kahn was born in Kuppenheim, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, in what would become Germany....	Republican	1898	Running	Julius Kahn Julius Kahn Julius Kahn was a United States Congressman who was succeeded by his wife Florence Prag Kahn after his death. Kahn was born in Kuppenheim, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, in what would become Germany....  (R) 52.7% James G. Maguire (D) 42.9% K. J. Doyle (S) 4% William N. Meserve (Proh.) 0.3%
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...  5	Everis A. Hayes Everis A. Hayes Everis Anson Hayes was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Waterloo, Wisconsin, Hayes attended the public schools....	Republican	1904	Running	Everis A. Hayes Everis A. Hayes Everis Anson Hayes was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Waterloo, Wisconsin, Hayes attended the public schools....  (R) 49.1% George A. Tracy (D) 42.8% E. H. Misner (S) 6.3% Walter E. Vail (Proh.) 1.8%
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...  6	James C. Needham James C. Needham James Carson Needham was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in a covered wagon at Carson City, Nevada, James Needham arrived as a babe in arms with his parents at Mayfield, Santa Clara, California, October 1, 1864....	Republican	1898	Running	James C. Needham James C. Needham James Carson Needham was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in a covered wagon at Carson City, Nevada, James Needham arrived as a babe in arms with his parents at Mayfield, Santa Clara, California, October 1, 1864....  (R) 52% Fred P. Feliz (D) 38.7% W. M. Pattison (S) 5.6% James W. Webb (Proh.) 3.7%
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...  7	James McLachlan James McLachlan James McLachlan was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Argyllshire, Scotland, McLachlan immigrated to the United States in 1855 with his parents, who settled in Tompkins County, New York....	Republican	1900	Running	James McLachlan James McLachlan James McLachlan was a U.S. Representative from California.Born in Argyllshire, Scotland, McLachlan immigrated to the United States in 1855 with his parents, who settled in Tompkins County, New York....  (R) 91.5% Jud R. Rush (D) 6.3% A. R. Holston (S) 1.1% Marshall W. Atwood (Proh.) 1% F. G. Hentig (IL) 0.2%
California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...  8	Sylvester C. Smith Sylvester C. Smith Sylvester Clark Smith was a U.S. Representative from California.Born near Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Smith attended the district schools and Howe's Academy at Mount Pleasant.He taught school in Winfield, Iowa....	Republican	1904	Running	Sylvester C. Smith Sylvester C. Smith Sylvester Clark Smith was a U.S. Representative from California.Born near Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Smith attended the district schools and Howe's Academy at Mount Pleasant.He taught school in Winfield, Iowa....  (R) 55.7% W. E. Shepherd (D) 34.7% Noble A. Richardson (S) 9.6%

See also

• 61st United States Congress
  61st United States Congress
  The Sixty-first 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. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1909 to March 4, 1911, during the first two years of...
  
  
• United States Senate elections, 1908
  United States Senate elections, 1908
  Some states elected their Senators directly even before passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913. Oregon pioneered direct election and experimented with different measures over several years until it succeeded in 1907. Soon after, Nebraska followed suit and laid the foundation for other states to...
  
  
• United States presidential election, 1908
  United States presidential election, 1908
  The United States presidential election of 1908 was held on November 3, 1908. Popular incumbent President Theodore Roosevelt, honoring a promise not to seek a third term, persuaded the Republican Party to nominate William Howard Taft, his close friend and Secretary of War, to become his successor...