election. Effects Overall, the Democrats lost 72 seats in the House, though with 262 seats, they retained a majority. The defeats were nearly all in the North, as the South resumed its historic role as the Democratic base in Congress. The Republicans gained 81 seats and none of their incumbents lost reelection. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had faced opposition from conservative Democrats and the Republicans in Congress since the beginning of his presidency. Representatives Edward E. Cox, Howard W. Smith, and other Southern Democrats opposed Roosevelt's policies with the Republicans, but were in the minority. Vice President John Nance Garner pushed for Roosevelt to support more conservative policies. However, after the election the Democratic majority was maintained, but around forty Democratic representatives were unreliable votes for Roosevelt which allowed conservatives to block his policies. Overall results Source: Election Statistics - Office of the Clerk Special elections |- ! | Fred M. Vinson | | 1930 | | Incumbent resigned May 27, 1938 to become justice of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.New member elected June 4, 1938.Democratic hold. | nowrap | |- ! | J. Lister Hill | | 1923 | | Incumbent resigned January 11, 1938 when appointed U.S. senator.New member elected June 14, 1938.Democratic hold. | nowrap | |- ! | Allard H. Gasque | | 1922 | | Incumbent died June 17, 1938.New member elected September 13, 1938.Democratic hold. | nowrap | |- ! | Frank L. Kloeb | | 1932 | | Incumbent resigned August 19, 1937 when appointed judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.New member elected November 8, 1938.Republican gain. | nowrap | |} Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Non-voting delegates Alaska Territory Alaska Territory elected its non-voting delegate September 13, 1938. See also 1938 United States elections 1938 United States Senate elections 75th United States Congress 76th United States Congress Notes References Further reading Carson, Jamie L. "Electoral and Partisan Forces in the Roosevelt Era: The US Congressional Elections of 1938." Congress & the Presidency 28#2 (2001) 161–183 https://doi.org/10.1080/07343460109507751 (Excerpt