1974 United States elections
The 1974 United States elections were held on November 5. The elections occurred in the wake of the Watergate scandal and three months into the term of Republican President Gerald Ford. Democrats expanded their majorities in both houses of Congress.
| ← 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 → Midterm elections | |
| Election day | November 5 |
|---|---|
| Incumbent president | Gerald Ford (Republican) |
| Next Congress | 94th |
| Senate elections | |
| Overall control | Democratic hold |
| Seats contested | 34 of 100 seats |
| Net seat change | Democratic +4 |
| 1974 Senate election results
Democratic gain Democratic hold | |
| House elections | |
| Overall control | Democratic hold |
| Seats contested | All 435 voting seats |
| Popular vote margin | Democratic +16.8% |
| Net seat change | Democratic +49 |
| 1974 House of Representatives election results
Democratic gain Democratic hold | |
| Gubernatorial elections | |
| Seats contested | 37 (35 states, 2 territories) |
| Net seat change | Democratic +4 |
| 1974 gubernatorial election results Territorial races not shown Democratic gain Democratic hold | |
Ford's granting of a pardon to his predecessor, Richard Nixon, along with soaring inflation caused by the 1973 oil crisis, created a tough environment for the Republican Party. Democrats won net gains of four seats in the Senate, 49 seats in the House of Representatives, and four seats in the gubernatorial elections. Many of the newly elected Democrats were Northern liberals, shifting the balance of power away from conservative Southern Democrats.