 Benno Straucher was first defeated at the Austrian House of Representatives elections in 1891 against incumbent (since 1879) Heinrich Wagner.He was more successful at the next elections in 1897 against Anton Kochanowski, the mayor of Chernivtsi, and at the following elections in 1900 he was reelected with the support of the Zionists, who chose not to present a candidate from their ranks.He was again reelected in 1911.