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How the president’s party has fared in every US midterm election since 1946
Al Jazeera • • nation
Key Points:
- On Tuesday, Americans vote in the US midterm elections to choose all 435 House members and 35 Senate seats, determining which party controls Congress for the next two years.
- Historically, the president’s party tends to lose seats in midterms, a phenomenon known as the “presidential penalty,” with Democrats averaging a loss of 29 House seats and Republicans 23 since 1946.
- The president’s party has lost Senate seats in 13 of the last 20 midterms but only lost control of the Senate six times, partly due to staggered six-year Senate terms and varying state contests.
- Losing seats does not always mean losing control; control of the House and Senate is crucial for setting the legislative agenda, passing bills, launching investigations, and confirming judicial nominees.
- In the 2024 midterms, Democrats need to gain three House seats and four Senate seats to win control, but a 50-50 Senate split would likely give Republicans control due to the vice president’s tie-breaking vote.
