Please read the following table in Markdown format and then answer the question according to the table. Table cells in one row are seperated by '|', and different rows are seperated by '
'.

Table:
| District | Incumbent | Party | First elected | Results | Candidates |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| North Carolina 1 | G. K. Butterfield | Democratic | 2004.0 | Re-elected | G.K. Butterfield (D) unopposed |
| North Carolina 2 | Bob Etheridge | Democratic | 1996.0 | Re-elected | Bob Etheridge (D) 66.5% Dan Mansell (R) 33.5% |
| North Carolina 3 | Walter Jones Jr. | Republican | 1994.0 | Re-elected | Walter Jones Jr. (R) 68.6% Craig Weber (D) 31.4% |
| North Carolina 4 | David Price | Democratic | 1996.0 | Re-elected | David Price (D) 65.0% Steven Acuff (R) 35.0% |
| North Carolina 5 | Virginia Foxx | Republican | 2004.0 | Re-elected | Virginia Foxx (R) 57.2% Roger Sharpe (D) 42.8% |
| North Carolina 6 | Howard Coble | Republican | 1984.0 | Re-elected | Howard Coble (R) 70.8% Rory Blake (D) 29.2% |
| North Carolina 7 | Mike McIntyre | Democratic | 1996.0 | Re-elected | Mike McIntyre (D) 72.8% Shirley Davis (R) 27.2% |
| North Carolina 8 | Robin Hayes | Republican | 1998.0 | Re-elected | Robin Hayes (R) 50.1% Larry Kissell (D) 49.9% |
| North Carolina 9 | Sue Myrick | Republican | 1994.0 | Re-elected | Sue Myrick (R) 66.5% Bill Glass (D) 33.5% |
| North Carolina 11 | Charles Taylor | Republican | 1990.0 | Lost re-election Democratic gain | Heath Shuler (D) 53.8% Charles Taylor (R) 46.2% |
| North Carolina 12 | Mel Watt | Democratic | 1992.0 | Re-elected | Mel Watt (D) 67.0% Ada Fisher (R) 33.0% |
Question:
Which party was elected first in 1998?
Answer:
Republican