1878 and 1879 United States House of Representatives elections
District Incumbent Party First elected Result Candidates
Missouri 1 Anthony F. Ittner Republican 1876 Incumbent retired . New member elected . Democratic gain Y Martin L. Clardy ( Democratic ) 48.36% Henry Ziegenhein ( Republican ) 33.26% Henry Eshbaugh ( Greenback ) 12.69% F. Westermeyer ( Socialist ) 5.69%
Missouri 2 Nathan Cole Republican 1876 Incumbent lost re-election . New member elected . Democratic gain Y Erastus Wells ( Democratic ) 42.70% Nathan Cole ( Republican ) 41.21% John Hogan ( Greenback ) 13.31% William Hossfield ( Socialist ) 2.78%
Missouri 3 Lyne Metcalfe Republican 1876 Incumbent lost re-election . New member elected . Democratic gain Y Richard G. Frost ( Democratic ) 45.23% Lyne Metcalfe ( Republican ) 33.25% H. C. Vandillen ( Greenback ) 13.83% G. Bartholomeus ( Socialist ) 7.13%
Missouri 4 Robert A. Hatcher Democratic 1872 Incumbent retired . New member elected . Democratic hold Y Lowndes H. Davis ( Democratic ) 61.35% Sol G. Kitchen ( Greenback ) 34.79% Charles E. Moss ( Republican ) 3.86%
Missouri 5 Richard P. Bland Democratic 1872 Incumbent re-elected Y Richard P. Bland ( Democratic ) 56.64% J. J. Ware ( Greenback ) 40.24% W. C. Mings ( Independent ) 3.11%
Missouri 6 Charles H. Morgan Democratic 1874 Lost re-nomination Democratic hold Y James R. Waddill ( Democratic ) 43.99% Charles G. Burton ( Republican ) 28.77% M. H. Ritchey ( Greenback ) 27.24%
Missouri 7 Thomas T. Crittenden Democratic 1876 Incumbent retired . New member elected . Democratic hold Y Alfred M. Lay ( Democratic ) 51.49% James Boyd ( Greenback ) 26.75% A . A. Underwood ( Republican ) 21.77%
Missouri 8 Benjamin J. Franklin Democratic 1874 Incumbent retired . New member elected . Independent Democratic gain Y Samuel L. Sawyer ( Independent Democratic ) 48.95% John T. Crisp ( Democratic ) 44.87% L. G. Jeffers ( Greenback ) 6.17%
Missouri 9 David Rea Democratic 1874 Incumbent lost re-election . New member elected . Greenback gain Y Nicholas Ford ( Greenback ) 51.74% David Rea ( Democratic ) 48.26%
Missouri 10 Henry M. Pollard Republican 1876 Incumbent lost re-election . New member elected . Democratic gain Y Gideon F. Rothwell ( Democratic ) 47.19% Henry M. Pollard ( Republican ) 34.69% E. J. Broaddus ( Greenback ) 18.12%
Missouri 11 John B. Clark , Jr Democratic 1872 Incumbent re-elected Y John B. Clark , Jr. ( Democratic ) 98.92% Scattering ( Independent ) 1.08%
Missouri 12 John M. Glover Democratic 1872 Lost re-nomination Democratic hold Y William H. Hatch ( Democratic ) 45.09% John M. London ( Greenback ) 38.34% Dan M. Draper ( Republican ) 16.56%
Missouri 13 Aylett H. Buckner Democratic 1872 Lost re-nomination Democratic hold Y Aylett H. Buckner ( Democratic ) 59.21% T. J. Fagg ( Greenback ) 32.57% T. B. Robinson ( Independent Government ) 8.22%
Missouri
See also : List of United States Representatives from Missouri
Elections to the United States House of Representatives were held in 1878 and 1879 for Representatives to the 46th United States Congress. These elections occurred in the middle of President Rutherford B. Hayes's term. With a sour economy as the nation's pressing issue, both major parties lost seats to the new Greenback Party, which was established to promote the long-term use of paper money as a solution to stop enormous economic fluctuations. The Democratic Party remained the largest party, but lost its majority. However, it allied with several independent politicians and was able to remain in power. Notable freshmen included James B. Weaver, who would later run for president as the Greenback candidate in 1880 and the Populist candidate in 1892. This was the fourth and last recorded House election where both major parties lost seats at the same time.