1982 United States House of Representatives elections
The 1982 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for the United States House of Representatives held on November 2, 1982, in the middle of President Ronald Reagan's first term, whose popularity was sinking due to economic conditions under the 1982 recession. The President's Republican Party lost seats in the House, which could be viewed as a response to the President's approval at the time. Unlike most midterm election cycles, the number of seats lost—26 seats to the Democratic Party—was a comparatively large swap. It included most  of the seats that had been gained the previous election, cementing the Democratic majority. Coincidentally, the number of seats the Democrats picked up (26), was the exact amount the Republicans would have needed to win the House majority. In the previous election of 1980 Republicans gained many seats as the result of President Ronald Reagan's coattails. 12 of those officials were gone by 1982. To date, this election marks the last time the Democrats picked up a House seat in West Virginia. Retiring incumbents. Thirty-nine representatives retired. Thirty-one of those seats were held by the same party , eight seats changed party. Democrats. Eighteen Democrats retired. Eleven of those seats were held by Democrats, four were won by Republicans, and three seats were eliminated in redistricting. Republicans. Twenty-one Republicans retired. Eleven of those seats were held by Republicans, four were won by Democrats, and six seats were eliminated in redistricting. Defeated incumbents. As a result of redistricting, many incumbents were forced to compete against each other in the same district, which resulted in a larger number of incumbents being defeated in primaries. In primary elections. Ten representatives lost renomination: Six lost in redistricting battles pitting incumbents against  each other, and four lost nomination to non-incumbent challengers. Democrats. Six Democrats lost renomination: three in redistricting races and three to a non-incumbent challenger. All the seats were held by Democrats. Republicans. Four Republicans lost renomination: three in redistricting races and one to a non-incumbent challenger. Seat held by a Republican. These primary winners later won the general election. In the general election. Democrats. Three incumbent Democrats lost re-election; two lost to Republican incumbents and one to a non-incumbent challenger. Republicans. Twenty-six incumbent Republicans lost re-election; five loss to Democratic incumbents while twenty -one loss to non-incumbent challengers, ten of whom were first elected in 1980. Special elections. ! ! ! ! Alabama. ! ! ! ! ! ! Arizona. Arizona received an additional seat at reapportionment and added a in the southeast of the state. ! ! ! ! ! Arkansas. ! ! ! California. The delegation increased from 43 to 45 seats. To create the two-seat net gain, five seats with no incumbent were added (the ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Colorado. Colorado added a sixth seat in reapportionment, adding the new district near Denver. ! ! ! ! ! ! Connecticut. ! ! ! ! ! Florida. Florida added 4 new districts, going from 15 to 19 seats, adding a new district near Miami and 3 more in central  and southwestern Florida. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Georgia. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Hawaii. ! Idaho. ! Illinois. Illinois lost two seats at reapportionment, removing two districts with Republican incumbents, and at the same time two other Republican incumbents lost re-election in altered districts. ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Indiana. Indiana lost one seat at reapportionment; Republicans in the legislature deleted two Democratic districts and added a new Republican district, although this strategy was offset by the unexpected defeat of incumbent H. Joel Deckard. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! | Iowa. ! ! ! ! ! Kansas. ! ! ! ! Kentucky. ! ! ! ! ! ! Louisiana. All eight incumbents were re-elected by receiving more than 50% of the vote in the September 11 non-partisan blanket primaries. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Maine . ! Maryland. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Massachusetts. Massachusetts lost one seat at reapportionment, combining the districts of Barney Frank and Margaret Heckler. ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Michigan. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! | ! Minnesota. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Mississippi. ! ! ! ! Missouri. ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! Montana. ! Nebraska. ! ! Nevada. ! New Hampshire. ! New Jersey. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! | ! ! New Mexico. ! ! New York. ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! North Carolina. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Ohio. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! | ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Oklahoma. ! ! ! ! ! Oregon. ! ! ! ! Pennsylvania. ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Rhode Island. ! South Carolina. ! ! ! ! ! South Dakota. ! | Tennessee. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Texas. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Utah. ! ! Virginia. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Washington. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! West Virginia. ! ! ! Wisconsin. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! References. Category:1982 United States House of Representatives elections|