Here are the U.S. midterm elections in which the sitting president’s party gained seats (or at least did not lose ground) rather than suffering the typical midterm losses. Historically, the president’s party usually loses seats in midterm elections, but there are a handful of exceptions. Encyclopedia Britannica+1
Midterm Years When the President’s Party Made Gains
? Significant Gains in Both Houses
These rare midterms saw the president’s party gain seats in both the House and the Senate:
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1934 (FDR – Democrat) – Democrats gained seats in both the House and Senate during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first midterm. Encyclopedia Britannica+1
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2002 (George W. Bush – Republican) – Republicans gained seats in both chambers in the post-9/11 midterms. Wikipedia+1
Other Midterms Where the President’s Party Gained Seats (House or Senate)
In addition to the above, there are several midterms where the president’s party gained seats in at least one chamber (House or Senate), though not necessarily both:
Before the 20th century (early U.S. history):
(Data from historical records)
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1790 – Federalist gains in House. Wikipedia
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1798 – Federalist gains in House. Wikipedia
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1802 – Democratic-Republicans gained seats. Wikipedia
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1806 – Democratic-Republicans gained seats. Wikipedia
Later historical exceptions (post-17th Amendment era and modern analysis):
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1914 – President’s party gained Senate seats. Wikipedia
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1962 – Under JFK – gained Senate seats (but lost House seats). PolitiFact
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1970 – Gained Senate seats. PolitiFact
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1998 – Under Bill Clinton – Democrats gained House seats (and held the Senate). PolitiFact
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2018 – Under Donald Trump – Republicans gained Senate seats (but lost the House). Brookings
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2022 – Under Joe Biden – Democrats gained Senate seats (lost the House). Brookings
Quick Summary
| Midterm Year | President | President’s Party Gains? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | FDR (D) | Yes — House & Senate | Rare big midterm gain. Encyclopedia Britannica |
| 2002 | G.W. Bush (R) | Yes — House & Senate | Another rare dual-chamber gain. Wikipedia |
| 1998 | Bill Clinton (D) | House gain | Democrats gained House seats. PolitiFact |
| 1962 | JFK (D) | Senate gain | Senate gain despite typical losses. PolitiFact |
| 1970 | Nixon (R) | Senate gain | Senate gain. PolitiFact |
| 2018 | Trump (R) | Senate gain | Senate gain, House loss. Brookings |
| 2022 | Biden (D) | Senate gain | Senate gain, House loss. Brookings |
| Early 1800s | Various Presidents | Various gains | Several early exceptions. Wikipedia |
General Trend
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Most midterms favor the opposition party, with the president’s party losing seats. Encyclopedia Britannica
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Only two midterms since the 20th century saw the president’s party gain in both chambers: 1934 and 2002. Encyclopedia Britannica+1
