US Midterms Since 1946: President's Party Loses House Seats 18 of 20 Times

Al Jazeera · world

US midterm elections, held halfway through a president's term, are often seen as a verdict on the current presidency. Since 1946, the president's party has lost House seats in 18 out of 20 midterms, averaging a loss of 26 seats. This phenomenon, known as the "presidential penalty," occurs as voters use the elections to check White House power. Democratic presidents have historically faced larger average losses than Republican presidents. The House has changed hands seven times in these elections, with the largest loss of 64 seats occurring in 2010.