1984 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas

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1984 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas

← 1982 November 6, 1984 1986 →

All 27 Texas seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 22 5
Seats before 21 6
Seats won 17 10
Seat change Decrease 4 Increase 4
Popular vote 2,695,028 1,981,823
Percentage 57.6% 42.3%
Swing Decrease 7.2% Increase 9.5%

The 1984 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas occurred on November 6, 1984, to elect the members of the state of Texas's delegation to the United States House of Representatives. Texas had twenty-seven seats in the House, apportioned according to the 1980 United States census.[1]

Texas underwent mid-decade redistricting due to the District Court case Upham v. Seamon. The U.S. Department of Justice objected to the boundaries of District 15 and District 27 adopted by the Texas Legislature in 1981 under preclearance established by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[2] The court's modified districts were used in 1982, and the Legislature modified other districts in 1983, keeping the court-modified districts in place.[3]

These elections occurred simultaneously with the United States Senate elections of 1984, the United States House elections in other states, the presidential election, and various state and local elections.

Democrats maintained their majority of U.S. House seats from Texas. Still, they lost four seats to the Republicans, who rode the coattails of president Ronald Reagan's re-election.[4] The Republicans in those four seats, as well as two other freshmen Republicans, would later become known as the Texas Six Pack.

Overview

1984 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas[5]
Party Votes Percentage Seats before Seats after +/–
Democratic 2,695,028 57.58% 21 17 -4
Republican 1,981,823 42.34% 6 10 +4
Independent 3,064 0.07% 0 0 -
Others 470 0.01% 0 0 -
Totals 4,680,385 100.00% 27 27 -

Congressional districts

District 1

Incumbent Democrat Sam B. Hall ran for re-election unopposed.

Texas's 1st congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic
Sam B. Hall
(incumbent)
139,829 100.00
Total votes 139,829 100
Democratic hold

District 2

Incumbent Democrat Charlie Wilson ran for re-election. He faced four primary opponents but managed to avoid a runoff with 54 percent of the vote.[6]

Texas's 2nd congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charlie Wilson (incumbent) 113,225 59.26
Republican Louis Dugas 77,842 40.74
Total votes 191,067 100
Democratic hold

District 3

Incumbent Republican Steve Bartlett ran for re-election.

Texas's 3rd congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Bartlett (incumbent) 228,819 82.99
Democratic Jim Westbrook 46,890 17.01
Total votes 275,709 100
Republican hold

District 4

Incumbent Democrat Ralph Hall ran for re-election.

Texas's 4th congressional district, 1984[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Hall (incumbent) 120,749 57.96
Republican Thomas Blow 87,553 42.02
Write-in
Others 39 0.02
Total votes 208,341 100
Democratic hold

District 5