How the president’s party has fared in every US midterm election since 1946

What happened: Americans vote in the US midterm elections, choosing all 435 House members and 35 of the Senate's 100 seats, deciding which party controls Congress for the next two years. Key numbers: The president's party lost House seats in 18 of 20 midterms from 1946 to 2022, average loss 26 seats. Senate seats lost in 13 of 20. Why it matters: Political scientists call this the "presidential penalty": voters use midterms to check the White House. Control of either chamber lets an opposition majority block the president's agenda, launch investigations, or reject nominees.

Americans vote in the US midterm elections, choosing all 435 House members and 35 of the Senate's 100 seats, deciding which party controls Congress for the next two years.

Political scientists call this the "presidential penalty": voters use midterms to check the White House. Control of either chamber lets an opposition majority block the president's agenda, launch investigations, or reject nominees.