With the country in World War I (contrary to previous promises by Wilson), and Wilson's personal popularity ebbing, the Republicans gained 25 seats and took over control of the House from Wilson's Democrats. Internal divide among Democratic leadership over aspects related to payment of the war also decreased the unity of the party, which had been the organization's strength during the decade. The Progressive Party also disappeared, with its former members generally becoming Democrats. Minnesota's Farmer–Labor Party, a descendant of populism, also gained its very first seat.
Wilson's wheat policies aided in the Democratic defeat. The Food and Fuel Control Act allowed for the cost of wheat to be set at a price control limit of $2.20 per bushel while other products like cotton were not. Wilson later vetoed an attempt by the Republicans to increase the limit to $2.40 per bushel. Republicans were more likely to gain seats in areas with higher amounts of wheat acreage with the Republicans gaining twenty-two seats in the ten highest wheat producing states while the Democrats only gained two seats.[1]
Wilson was also unable to aid the Democratic candidates before the election due to his preparations for involvement in the Paris Peace Conference.[1]
Incumbent resigned January 1, 1918, to become Commissioner of Docks and director of the Port of New York. Successor was elected March 5, 1918. Democratic hold.
Incumbent died October 16, 1918. New member elected November 5, 1918. Republican hold. Winner was not elected to the next term; see below. Republican hold.
Incumbent died December 23, 1917. New member elected November 5, 1918. Democratic hold. Winner was elected to the next term; see below. Democratic hold.
As he had successfully done the previous time, Wickersham again contested the election. During the contest, Sulzer died April 28, 1919, and Democrat George Barnes Grigsby won the June 5 special election to finish the term. Wickersham then won the election contest and was seated March 1, 1921.
^While Victor Berger won election to Congress from the 5th district of Wisconsin, the seat was later declared vacant on the basis convictions under the Espionage Act.
^ ab William Carss, who was elected to the 8th district in Minnesota, was a member of the Minnesota Non-Partisan League but had run as an Independent in the congressional election. He would later become a member of the Farmer-Labor Party when it was formalized in 1920.
^ abThe Farmer–Labor, Prohibition, and Socialist parties each had one member
^ ab Representative-Elect Harvey Helm (D, Kentucky 8th) died before the start of the Congress and was replaced in a special election by King Swope (Republican), changing the totals to R 240, D 192.)
^Campbell, T. (2005). Deliver the Vote: A History of Election Fraud, an American Political Tradition, 1742-2004. Carroll & Graf. p. 154. ISBN978-0-7867-1591-6. Retrieved September 7, 2024. Even when fraud was proven, the remedy could be hollow. In the Tenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania in 1918, the Democrat, Patrick McLane, was at first declared the winner, while the Republican, John R. Farr, contested the election. Over nearly two years, a Congressional committee examined the case; they determined in February 1921 that "wholesale fraud" had indeed cheated Farr out of his seat, and, by a 161 to 121 vote on the House floor, McLane was unseated and Farr sworn in to serve out the remainder of his term — six days.
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