1908 United States elections

The 1908 United States elections elected the members of the 61st United States Congress, occurring during the Fourth Party System. Oklahoma joined the union during the 61st Congress. Despite the Panic of 1907, Republicans continued to control the Presidency and both houses of Congress.

1908 United States elections

← 1906          1907          1908          1909          1910 → Presidential election year
Election day	November 3
Incumbent president	Theodore Roosevelt (Republican)
Next Congress	61st
Presidential election
Partisan control	Republican hold
Popular vote margin	Republican +8.6%
Electoral vote
William Howard Taft (R)	321
William Jennings Bryan (D)	162
1908 presidential election results. Red denotes states won by Taft, blue denotes states won by Bryan. Numbers indicate the electoral votes won by each candidate.
Senate elections
Overall control	Republican hold
Seats contested	31 of 92 seats[1]
Net seat change	Democratic +1[2]
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold
House elections
Overall control	Republican hold
Seats contested	All 391 voting members
Net seat change	Democratic +5[2]
Gubernatorial elections
Seats contested	33
Net seat change	Democratic +2
1908 gubernatorial election results   Democratic gain   Democratic hold   Republican gain   Republican hold

In the Presidential election, Republican former Secretary of War William Howard Taft defeated Democratic former Representative William Jennings Bryan of Nebraska.[3] Taft and Bryan won both of their respective parties' nominations on the first ballot. Taft easily won the election, taking most states outside the South. Bryan's loss made him the only presidential nominee of a major party to lose three general elections.

Democrats made minor gains in the House, but Republicans maintained a solid majority in the chamber.[4]

In the Senate, Democrats picked up one seat, but Republicans continued to hold a commanding majority.[5]