1996 Texas House of Representatives election

The 1996 Texas House of Representatives elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections. Texas voters elected state representatives in all 150 State House of Representatives districts. The winners of this election served in the 75th Texas Legislature. State representatives serve for two-year terms. Republicans gained five seats from the Democrats, reducing the Democratic majority to 82 out of 150 seats.

Background Democrats had held control of the Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction. After the 1994 elections, Republican governor George W. Bush appointed Democratic Representative Elton Bomer of the 11th district as the state insurance commissioner. In the ensuing special election, Republican Todd Staples narrowly avoided a runoff, defeating two Democrats to flip the seat. Later in 1995, Representative Warren Chisum of the 88th district switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.

Redistricting Democrats had fully controlled the redistricting process in 1991, and Republicans sued over the Texas House's map. The courts partially overhauled the map as a result of these lawsuits. Democrats codified the court's map into law in a January 1992 special session. The 1995 lawsuit Thomas v. Bush further altered the maps, as the courts reached a settlement with the legislature to alter the several districts in Harris, Dallas, and Bexar Counties for the 1996 elections.Bickerstaff, Heath 2020, p. 127

Results Despite having hopes of winning control of the chamber from the Democrats due to Texas's increasing Republican lean, Republicans only flipped five seats.

Statewide +Summary of the November 5, 1996 Texas House of Representatives election resultsPartyCandidatesVotes %Seats+/–Democratic Party1002,015,95144.18%825Republican Party1072,502,49954.84%685Natural Law Party823,0230.50%0–Libertarian Party920,6190.45%0–Independent16730.01%0–Write-in13450.01%0–Total4,563,110100.00%150–

Close races

Results by district DistrictDemocraticRepublicanOthersTotalResultVotes%Votes%Votes%Votes% District 124,72863.77%14,05036.23% - -38,778100.00%Democratic hold District 226,553100.00% - - - -26,553100.00%Democratic hold District 326,303100.00% - - - -26,303100.00%Democratic hold District 420,60452.88%18,36247.12% - -38,966100.00%Democratic hold District 520,97259.49%14,27940.51% - -35,251100.00%Democratic hold District 6 - -23,440100.00% - -23,440100.00%Republican hold District 7 - -26,351100.00% - -26,351100.00%Republican hold District 826,36461.10%16,78338.90% - -43,147100.00%Democratic hold District 920,54949.48%20,97950.52% - -41,528100.00%Republican gain District 10 - -27,012100.00% - -27,012100.00%Republican hold District 1115,60543.82%20,00456.18% - -35,609100.00%Republican hold District 1225,43763.93%14,35436.07% - -39,791100.00%Democratic hold District 1323,37059.45%15,94240.55% - -39,312100.00%Democratic hold District 14 - -24,402100.00% - -24,402100.00%Republican hold District 1515,43131.05%34,26468.95% - -49,695100.00%Republican hold District 16 - -32,061100.00% - -32,061100.00%Republican hold District 1720,97651.31%19,90648.69% - -40,882100.00%Democratic hold District 1824,48360.15%16,22339.85% - -40,706100.00%Democratic hold District 1926,68568.97%12,00431.03% - -38,689100.00%Democratic hold District 2022,05953.03%19,53746.97% - -41,596100.00%Democratic hold District 2133,37787.59% - -4,72812.41%38,105100.00%Democratic hold District 2225,034100.00% - - - -25,034100.00%Democratic hold District 2321,58257.74%15,79642.26% - -37,378100.00%Democratic hold District 2425,503100.00% - - - -25,503100.00%Democratic hold District 2514,31533.06%28,98166.94% - -43,296100.00%Republican hold District 26 - -41,93186.06%6,79013.94%48,721100.00%Republican hold District 2720,50360.46%13,41139.54% - -33,914100.00%Democratic hold District 2822,07854.88%18,15445.12% - -40,232100.00%Democratic hold District 2917,04153.44%14,85046.56% - -31,891100.00%Democratic hold District 30 - -25,894100.00% - -25,894100.00%Republican hold District 3125,29670.52%10,57729.48% - -35,873100.00%Democratic hold District 3221,81849.00%22,70451.00% - -44,522100.00%Republican gain District 3324,800100.00% - - - -24,800100.00%Democratic hold District 3422,924100.00% - - - -22,924100.00%Democratic hold District 3522,859100.00% - - - -22,859100.00%Democratic hold District 3614,00961.32%8,83538.68% - -22,844100.00%Democratic hold District 3713,03469.43%5,74030.57% - -18,774100.00%Democratic hold District 3815,529100.00% - - - -15,529100.00%Democratic hold District 3914,768100.00% - - - -14,768100.00%Democratic hold District 4015,81671.28%6,37128.72% - -22,187100.00%Democratic hold District 4115,11266.35%7,66433.65% - -22,776100.00%Democratic hold District 4219,019100.00% - - - -19,019100.00%Democratic hold District 4324,766100.00% - - - -24,766100.00%Democratic hold District 4426,492100.00% - - - -26,492100.00%Democratic hold District 45 - -37,52488.69%4,78411.31%42,308100.00%Republican hold District 4620,85656.37%16,14043.63% - -36,996100.00%Democratic hold District 4722,10629.34%51,95368.95%1,2871.71%75,346100.00%Republican hold District 4834,850100.00% - - - -34,850100.00%Democratic hold District 4928,13763.18%16,39936.82% - -44,536100.00%Democratic hold District 5027,240100.00% - - - -27,240100.00%Democratic hold District 5121,30071.80%7,11323.98%1,2544.23%29,667100.00%Democratic hold District 5219,80938.42%31,75261.58% - -51,561100.00%Republican hold District 5315,51527.29%41,34772.71% - -56,862100.00%Republican hold District 5415,75747.21%17,62052.79% - -33,377100.00%Republican gain District 55 - -22,829100.00% - -22,829100.00%Republican hold District 56 - -29,981100.00% - -29,981100.00%Republican hold District 5718,24558.58%12,90141.42% - -31,146100.00%Democratic gain District 5818,36446.08%21,48753.92% - -39,851100.00%Republican hold District 5915,39949.60%15,38749.56%2630.85%31,049100.00%Democratic hold District 6021,40949.41%21,92250.59% - -43,331100.00%Republican gain District 61 - -32,821100.00% - -32,821100.00%Republican hold District 6218,71846.06%21,92053.94% - -40,638100.00%Republican gain District 63 - -36,418100.00% - -36,418100.00%Republican hold District 64 - -36,830100.00% - -36,830100.00%Republican hold District 65 - -28,495100.00% - -28,495100.00%Republican hold District 66 - -48,127100.00% - -48,127100.00%Republican hold District 67 - -33,026100.00% - -33,026100.00%Republican hold District 6826,245100.00% - - - -26,245100.00%Democratic hold District 6925,912100.00% - - - -25,912100.00%Democratic hold District 7017,83451.15%17,03548.85% - -34,869100.00%Democratic hold District 71 - -30,683100.00% - -30,683100.00%Republican hold District 7228,102100.00% - - - -28,102100.00%Democratic hold District 7329,711100.00% - - - -29,711100.00%Democratic hold District 7422,994100.00% - - - -22,994100.00%Democratic hold District 7515,89568.21%7,40931.79% - -23,304100.00%Democratic hold District 7622,848100.00% - - - -22,848100.00%Democratic hold District 7716,839100.00% - - - -16,839100.00%Democratic hold District 78 - -26,860100.00% - -26,860100.00%Republican hold District 7918,723100.00% - - - -18,723100.00%Democratic hold District 80 - -21,169100.00% - -21,169100.00%Republican hold District 81 - -23,967100.00% - -23,967100.00%Republican hold District 82 - -30,771100.00% - -30,771100.00%Republican hold District 83 - -18,11983.00%3,71117.00%21,830100.00%Republican hold District 8419,15842.07%26,38557.93% - -45,543100.00%Republican hold District 8520,81364.58%11,41735.42% - -32,230100.00%Democratic hold District 86 - -38,216100.00% - -38,216100.00%Republican hold District 87 - -23,050100.00% - -23,050100.00%Republican hold District 88 - -32,115100.00% - -32,115100.00%Republican hold District 8915,64344.87%19,21855.13% - -34,861100.00%Republican gain District 9016,015100.00% - - - -16,015100.00%Democratic hold District 91 - -29,998100.00% - -29,998100.00%Republican hold District 92 - -30,953100.00% - -30,953100.00%Republican hold District 93 - -21,064100.00% - -21,064100.00%Republican hold District 94 - -32,68588.73%4,15011.27%36,835100.00%Republican hold District 9526,796100.00% - - - -26,796100.00%Democratic hold District 96 - -32,553100.00% - -32,553100.00%Republican hold District 97 - -38,701100.00% - -38,701100.00%Republican hold District 98 - -38,901100.00% - -38,901100.00%Republican hold District 99 - -32,764100.00% - -32,764100.00%Republican hold District 10017,29668.58%7,39229.31%5322.11%25,220100.00%Democratic hold District 101 - -24,153100.00% - -24,153100.00%Republican hold District 102 - -28,269100.00% - -28,269100.00%Republican hold District 10313,340100.00% - - - -13,340100.00%Democratic hold District 10410,08672.35%3,85427.65% - -13,940100.00%Democratic hold District 10514,30561.81%8,16735.29%6732.91%23,145100.00%Democratic hold District 10613,00140.92%18,77459.08% - -31,775100.00%Republican hold District 10716,23858.06%10,79538.60%9333.34%27,966100.00%Democratic hold District 10812,28224.27%37,35773.81%9721.92%50,611100.00%Republican hold District 10923,589100.00% - - - -23,589100.00%Democratic hold District 11026,89992.91% - -2,0537.09%28,952100.00%Democratic hold District 11124,761100.00% - - - -24,761100.00%Democratic hold District 112 - -28,493100.00% - -28,493100.00%Republican hold District 113 - -27,414100.00% - -27,414100.00%Republican hold District 114 - -31,17288.34%4,11611.66%35,288100.00%Republican hold District 11518,276100.00% - - - -18,276100.00%Democratic hold District 11617,85870.15%7,59829.85% - -25,456100.00%Democratic hold District 11715,313100.00% - - - -15,313100.00%Democratic hold District 11818,294100.00% - - - -18,294100.00%Democratic hold District 11920,556100.00% - - - -20,556100.00%Democratic hold District 12019,39398.25% - -3451.75%19,738100.00%Democratic hold District 12114,35933.77%28,16166.23% - -42,520100.00%Republican hold District 122 - -40,113100.00% - -40,113100.00%Republican hold District 123 - -36,908100.00% - -36,908100.00%Republican hold District 12422,083100.00% - - - -22,083100.00%Democratic hold District 12517,73461.12%11,28238.88% - -29,016100.00%Democratic hold District 126 - -38,398100.00% - -38,398100.00%Republican hold District 127 - -32,464100.00% - -32,464100.00%Republican hold District 12815,989100.00% - - - -15,989100.00%Democratic hold District 129 - -35,097100.00% - -35,097100.00%Republican hold District 130 - -40,078100.00% - -40,078100.00%Republican hold District 13122,492100.00% - - - -22,492100.00%Democratic hold District 13224,24263.88%13,70536.12% - -37,947100.00%Democratic hold District 133 - -34,615100.00% - -34,615100.00%Republican hold District 134 - -22,048100.00% - -22,048100.00%Republican hold District 135 - -32,580100.00% - -32,580100.00%Republican hold District 136 - -36,20592.42%2,9697.58%39,174100.00%Republican hold District 13717,86864.73%9,73735.27% - -27,605100.00%Democratic hold District 13814,54851.01%13,97148.99% - -28,519100.00%Democratic hold District 13917,194100.00% - - - -17,194100.00%Democratic hold District 14012,153100.00% - - - -12,153100.00%Democratic hold District 14123,187100.00% - - - -23,187100.00%Democratic hold District 14221,397100.00% - - - -21,397100.00%Democratic hold District 14313,25572.16%5,11327.84% - -18,368100.00%Democratic hold District 14410,86036.17%18,37261.19%7942.64%30,026100.00%Republican hold District 14511,18670.86%4,60129.14% - -15,787100.00%Democratic hold District 14624,81772.98%9,18927.02% - -34,006100.00%Democratic hold District 14719,425100.00% - - - -19,425100.00%Democratic hold District 14814,648100.00% - - - -14,648100.00%Democratic hold District 149 - -19,11981.62%4,30618.38%23,425100.00%Republican hold District 150 - -30,419100.00% - -30,419100.00%Republican holdTotal2,015,95144.18%2,502,49954,84%44,6600.98%4,563,110100.00%

References