1940 United States House of Representatives elections
District Incumbent Party First elected Result Candidates
West Virginia 1 A. C. Schiffler Republican 1938 Incumbent lost re-election . New member elected . Democratic gain Y Robert L. Ramsay ( Democratic ) 53.2% A. C. Schiffler ( Republican ) 46.8%
West Virginia 2 Jennings Randolph Democratic 1932 Incumbent re-elected Y Jennings Randolph ( Democratic ) 57.5% H. Sharp Summers ( Republican ) 42.5%
West Virginia 3 Andrew Edmiston Jr Democratic 1933 ( Special ) Incumbent re-elected Y Andrew Edmiston Jr. ( Democratic ) 56.6% H. Roy Waugh ( Republican ) 43.4%
West Virginia 4 George William Johnson Democratic 1932 Incumbent re-elected Y George William Johnson ( Democratic ) 52.7% Harry O. Hiteshew ( Republican ) 47.3%
West Virginia 5 John Kee Democratic 1932 Incumbent re-elected Y John Kee ( Democratic ) 62.9% Hartley Sanders ( Republican ) 37.1%
West Virginia 6 Joe L. Smith Democratic 1928 Incumbent re-elected Y Joe L. Smith ( Democratic ) 61.7% R. E. O'Connor ( Republican ) 38.3%
West Virginia
See also : List of United States Representatives from West Virginia
The 1940 United States House of Representatives elections coincided with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's re-election to an unprecedented third term. His Democratic Party narrowly gained seats from the opposition Republican Party, cementing their majority. However, the election gave firm control of the US House of Representatives and Senate to the New Dealers once again, as Progressives dominated the election. The upswing in the economy that occurred following the Recession of 1937-38 encouraged voters that the New Deal plan had been working. This allowed the Democrats to stabilize their support. As of 2018, this is the last time the House of Representatives was made up of six parties.