The 1910 United States House of Representatives elections were held for the most part on November 8, 1910, while Maine and Vermont held theirs early in September, in the middle of President William Howard Taft's term. Elections were held for all 391 seats of the United States House of Representatives, representing 46 states, to the 62nd United States Congress. The conservative Taft contended with major factional splits within his Republican Party. Instead of using his position as president to bridge compromise, Taft alienated the progressive wing of the party, which had championed his predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt. While conservatives controlled the largest number of elected positions for Republicans, progressive politics had been what brought many voters to the polls. The clash of these units of the Republican Party, combined with the message of unity from the Democratic Party, was enough to allow the Democrats to take control of the House, ending 16 years in opposition. This was the first time that the Socialist Party won a seat. Issues Protection was the ideological cement holding the Republican coalition together. High tariffs were used by Republicans to promise higher sales to business, higher wages to industrial workers, and higher demand for their crops to farmers. Progressive insurgents said it promoted monopoly. Democrats said it was a tax on the little man. It had greatest support in the Northeast, and greatest opposition in the South and West. The Midwest was the battleground. The great battle over the high Payne–Aldrich Tariff Act in 1910 ripped the Republicans apart and set up the realignment in favor of the Democrats. Election summaries Election dates In 1910, two states, with 6 seats between them, held elections early: September 6, Vermont September 12, Maine Two newly admitted states held elections late: New Mexico and Arizona held their first elections in 1911. Special elections |- ! |- ! |- ! | Samuel Louis Gilmore | | Democratic | 1909 | | Incumbent died July 18, 1910.New member elected November 8, 1910.Democratic hold.Winner also elected to the next term, see below. | nowrap | |- ! | Charles Q. Tirrell | | Republican | 1900 | | Incumbent died July 31, 1910.New member elected November 8, 1910.Democratic gain.Winner lost election to the next term, see below. | nowrap | |- ! |- ! | Walter P. Brownlow | | Republican | 1896 | | Incumbent died July 8, 1910.New member elected