1992 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia

Summary

The 1992 House elections in Georgia occurred on November 3, 1992 to elect the members of the State of Georgia's delegation to the United States House of Representatives. Georgia had eleven seats in the House, apportioned according to the 1990 United States census.

These elections were held concurrently with the United States Senate elections of 1992 (including one election in Georgia), the United States House elections in other states, and various state and local elections.

Prior to the elections, Georgia's House delegation consisted of nine Democrats and one Republican. As a result of the 1990 United States census, Georgia picked up an additional seat for the 1992 U.S. House elections. Two new districts were made, one based in Gwinnett County and another that stretched from Atlanta to Savannah (the predecessors of the modern seventh and fourth districts respectively). In addition Doug Barnard, Jr. and Ben L. Jones were drawn into the same district.

The Democratic-controlled Georgia General Assembly under the leadership of fiercely partisan Speaker of the House Tom Murphy specifically targeted Gingrich, heavily altering the district that Gingrich represented.[1] Gerrymandering split Gingrich's territory among three neighboring districts. Much of the southern portion of Gingrich's district, including his home in Carrollton, was drawn into the Columbus-based 3rd District, represented by five-term Democrat Richard Ray.[1] At the same time, the Assembly created a new, heavily Republican 6th District in Fulton and Cobb counties in the wealthy northern suburbs of Atlanta—-an area that Gingrich had never represented.

However, Democrats attempt at defeating Gingrich ultimately backfired. Gingrich sold his home in Carrollton and moved to Marietta in the new 6th. He subsequently won a heated primary over state Representative Herman Clark[2] and remained in the House of Representatives until 1999. The changes made to Ray's district, which became considerably more urban and Republican than his old territory, contributed to his defeat in the fall to state senator Mac Collins. As of 2020, this is the last election in which Democrats won a majority of congressional districts in Georgia.This is also the last time they won the house popular vote.

Overview edit

United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia, 1992[3]
Party Votes Percentage Seats before Seats after +/–
Democratic 1,214,792 54.87 9 7 -2
Republican 999,182 45.13 1 4 +3
Others 0 0.0% 0 0
Valid votes - -%
Invalid or blank votes - -%
Totals 2,213,974 100.00% 10 11 +1
Voter turnout

Results edit

District Incumbent Party First elected Result Candidates
Georgia 1 Robert Lindsay Thomas Democratic 1982 Retired
Republican gain
Jack Kingston (R) 57.8%
Barbara Christmas (D) 42.2%
Georgia 2 Charles Floyd Hatcher Democratic 1980 Lost renomination
Democratic hold
Sanford Bishop (D) 63.7%
John Clayton (R) 36.3%
Georgia 3 Richard Ray Democratic 1982 Lost re-election
Republican gain
Mac Collins (R) 54.8%
Richard Ray (D) 45.2%
Georgia 4 None (district created) New seat
Republican gain
John Linder (R) 50.5%
Cathy Steinberg (D) 49.5%
Georgia 5 John Lewis Democratic 1986 Re-elected John Lewis (D) 72.1%
Paul Stabler (R) 27.9%
Georgia 6 Newt Gingrich Republican 1978 Re-elected Newt Gingrich (R) 57.7%
Tony Center (D) 42.3%
Georgia 7 George Darden Democratic 1983 Re-elected George Darden (D) 57.3%
Al Beverly (R) 42.7%
Georgia 8 J. Roy Rowland Democratic 1982 Re-elected J. Roy Rowland (D) 55.7%
Bob Cunningham (R) 44.3%
Georgia 9 Ed Jenkins Democratic 1976 Retired
Democratic hold
Nathan Deal (D) 59.2%
Daniel Becker (R) 40.8%
Georgia 10 Doug Barnard, Jr. Democratic 1976 Retired
Democratic loss
Ben L. Jones Democratic 1988
Redistricted from the 4th district
Lost renomination
Democratic hold
Don Johnson (D) 53.8%
Ralph Hudgens (R) 46.2%
Georgia 11 None (district created) New seat
Democratic gain
Cynthia McKinney (D) 73.1%
Woodrow Lovett (R) 26.9%

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Goodman, Brenda (December 20, 2007). "Tom B. Murphy, a Longtime Power in Georgia, Dies at 83". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Gingrich Is Declared Winner After Recount in a Primary". The New York Times. July 29, 1992.
  3. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)