The 1996 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for the United States House of Representatives on November 5, 1996, to elect members to serve in the 105th United States Congress. They coincided with the re-election of President Bill Clinton. Democrats won the popular vote by almost 60,000 votes (0.07%) and gained a net of two seats from the Republicans, but the Republicans retained an overall majority of seats in the House for the first time since 1928. Although the Republicans lost 3 seats, 1 of them included an Independent who would caucus with them and switch to the Republicans. This resulted in a 227 Republican majority to the Democrats' 208 minority which also included an Independent caucusing with them. A total of 12 Freshman Republicans who were elected in the 1994 Republican Revolution were defeated in the election. The election is similar to the 1952 elections, although, in terms of the total vote this result remains one of the closest in U.S. history. This remains the last election in which Republicans won a majority of seats in the New Jersey delegation, and was also the first election since Reconstruction in which Republicans won a majority of seats in Mississippi's delegation. Special elections Results summary Source: Election Statistics – Office of the Clerk Retiring incumbents 50 incumbents retired: 29 Democrats and 21 Republicans, giving the Republicans a net gain of 6 seats from the Democrats. Democrats Democratic hold : Blanche Lincoln : Ray Thornton : Anthony Beilenson : Pat Schroeder : Pete Peterson : Sam Gibbons : Harry Johnston : Cardiss Collins : Andrew Jacobs Jr. : Gerry Studds : Robert Torricelli, to run for U.S. Senator : Charlie Rose : Jack Reed, to run for U.S. Senator : Harold Ford Sr. : Jim Chapman, to run for U.S. Senator : Charlie Wilson : Kika de la Garza : Ronald D. Coleman : Lewis F. Payne Jr. Republican gain : Glen Browder, to run for U.S. Senator : Tom Bevill : Dick Durbin, to run for U.S. Senator : Cleo Fields : Sonny Montgomery : Rick Hill : William K. Brewster : Tim Johnson, to run for U.S. Senator : John Bryant, to run for U.S. Senator : Pete Geren Republicans Republican hold : Tim Hutchinson, to run for U.S. Senator : Carlos Moorhead : Wayne Allard, to run for U.S. Senator : John Myers : Pat Roberts,