August 1, 1842 - February 14, 1844 1844 → 142 seats 0 seats 73 2 Start date 1842 | 99 seats 142 seats 148 73 49 69 | |
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Winner John Winston J | ||
Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 28th Congress were held at various dates in different states between August 1, 1842 (Missouri) and February 14, 1844 (Maryland).
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 almost 70 seats, winning just 73 seats (including William Wright who was elected to New Jersey's 5th District as an "Independent Whig"). This gave the Democrats, who won 148 seats (including Henry Nes who was elected to Pennsylvania's 15th District as an "Independent Democrat") a majority. With the economy rebounding, rural voters also chose the Democratic ticket in a turn away from the Whig policies of economic nationalism. The Law and Order Party, formed in response to the Dorr Rebellion in Rhode Island, also won two seats.
Election summaries
Apportionment in these elections was based on the Census of 1840 and was the first, and only (with the exception of the minor adjustment after the 1960 census) in which the total number of seats in the House was decreased, being reduced from 242 to 223. 15 States lost between 1 and 6 Representatives each, 3 States had no change in representation, and 8 States gained between 1 and 4 seats. The apportionment bill of 1840 mandated that all Representatives be elected from single-Representative contiguous districts, abolishing plural districts and at-large districts in states with 2 or more Representatives. Four states with multi-member at-large districts delayed districting.