FDR, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush Defied The Odds

Midterm elections usually aren't pretty for the party that is in the White House.

Since World War II, the sitting President has lost an average of 26 House seats and 4 Senate seats.

This is due to a number of factors, including: swing voters regretting their choice, motivated opposition voters and complacent supporters of the President's party.

Since 1946, the President's party has lost seats in 90% of midterm elections.

There have been three times that the President's party has actually gained seats in the midterm elections.

Let's start with the most unlikely of the three - President Bill Clinton.

President Clinton is the ONLY President to have ever gained seats in his second term. Nobody else has ever done this - not even FDR.

In 1998, President Clinton gained five seats in the House, while the Senate remained unchanged.

This was due to two main factors - 1) the economy was roaring 2) the public was largely tired of the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton and felt as though the Republicans were going too far.

President Clinton's approval rating was sky-high heading into the midterm elections in 1998, and he managed to pull off the improbable - gaining seats in his second term in office.

In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt put together the most impressive midterm election performance in American history, as the Democrats managed to gain 9 House seats and 10 Senate seats. The President's New Deal programs were proving popular with the public, and the nation rallied around the new President.

Despite proving to be unbeatable in future Presidential elections, this would be the last time that FDR would add seats in a midterm election.

Lastly, President George W. Bush added eight House seats and 1 Senate seat in the 2002 midterm elections. This performance was not surprising, as the nation was still reeling from 9/11. After securing a second term in the White House in 2004, President George W. Bush would lose 30 House seats and 6 Senate seats in 2006, as his popularity dipped significantly.

Source: US Midterm Elections History

Filed under: General Knowledge