With the Midterm Congressional Elections of 2026 now two months away, the odds look good for Democrats to regain control of the House of Representatives and the US Senate under Republican President Donald Trump.
The Republicans are trying to argue that such will not happen, but history tells us this is a normal scenario throughout most of history, particularly since 1946, the first midterm after World War II.
The only times that this scenario did not occur was in 1998 under Bill Clinton, and 2002 under George W. Bush.
In 1998, the Democrats actually gained 4 seats in the House, and kept the 45 seats they had in the Senate, so the Republicans actually gained nothing in that election year, although they continued to have control of both houses of Congress.
In 2002, with September 11 being an influential factor, the Republican Party actually gained 8 seats in the House, and 2 seats in the Senate, therefore actually gaining control of the upper chamber after being in the minority previously.
But otherwise, the party out of power in Congress ended up gaining control in 1946, with Republicans gaining control of both houses of Congress under Harry Truman, with Democrats losing 54 seats in the House and 10 in the Senate.
In 1950, Truman’s Democratic Party kept control of Congress, but lost 28 seats in the House and 5 seats in the Senate.
Under Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954, the Republicans lost control of both houses of Congress, which they had won in 1952, losing 18 seats in the House and 2 seats in the Senate.
In 1958, Eisenhower saw a loss of 48 seats in the House and 12 seats in the Senate.
In 1962, in the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Democrats lost 4 seats in the House of Representatives, but gained 4 seats in the US Senate.
In 1966, in the midst of the Vietnam War under Lyndon B. Johnson, the Democrats lost 47 seats in the House, and 3 seats in the Senate, but still had massive margins.
Under Richard Nixon, in 1970, 12 Republican seats were lost in the House, but 2 seats were gained in the Senate.
Under Gerald Ford in 1974, in the midst of the Watergate Scandal and the resignation of Richard Nixon, the Republicans lost 48 seats in the House and 4 seats in the Senate.
Under Jimmy Carter in 1978, Democrats lost 15 seats in the House and 2 seats in the Senate, but retained control of both houses of Congress.
Under Ronald Reagan in 1982, Republicans lost 26 seats in the House and no seats in the Senate. Then, in 1986, Republicans lost 5 seats in the House, and lost 8 seats in the Senate, losing control of that chamber it had gained in 1980.
Under George H. W. Bush in 1990,, the Republicans lost 8 seats in the House and 1 seat in the Senate.
Under Bill Clinton in 1994, the Democrats lost control of both houses as part of the “Republican Revolution”, losing 54 seats in the House and 9 seats in the Senate. Then, in 1998, a surprise as Democrats gained 4 seats in the House and no change in the Senate, while the Republicans kept control.
Under George W. Bush in 2002, after September 11, the Republicans gained 8 seats in the House and two seats in the Senate, gaining the majority in the Senate. But in 2006, Republicans lost control of both houses of Congress, losing 32 seats in the House and 6 seats in the Senate.
Under Barack Obama in 2010, the Democrats lost the massive number of 63 seats in the House, and 6 in the Senate, losing control of the House to the Republicans. In 2014, the Democrats lost 13 seats in the House and 9 seats in the Senate, losing control of the Senate to the Republicans.
Under Donald Trump’s first term, in 2018, the Republicans lost control of the House, losing 41 seats, but gained two seats in the Senate, and retained the majority in the Senate.
Finally, under Joe Biden in 2022, Democrats lost control of the House by 9 seats, but gained one in the Senate, and kept control.
In 2026, two months from now, we will see what transpires.
.