1994 United States elections
The 1994 United States elections were held on November 8, 1994. The elections occurred in the middle of Democratic President Bill Clinton's first term in office, and elected the members of 104th United States Congress. The elections have been described as the "Republican Revolution" because the Republican Party captured unified control of Congress for the first time since 1952. Republicans picked up eight seats in the Senate and won a net of 54 seats in the House of Representatives. Republicans also picked up a net of ten governorships and took control of many state legislative chambers.
| ← 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 → Midterm elections | |
| Election day | November 8 |
|---|---|
| Incumbent president | Bill Clinton (Democratic) |
| Next Congress | 104th |
| Senate elections | |
| Overall control | Republican gain |
| Seats contested | 35 of 100 seats (33 Class 1 seats + 2 special elections) |
| Net seat change | Republican +8 |
| 1994 Senate election results
Democratic hold Republican gain Republican hold | |
| House elections | |
| Overall control | Republican gain |
| Seats contested | All 435 voting seats |
| Popular vote margin | Republican +6.8% |
| Net seat change | Republican +54 |
| 1994 House of Representatives results (territorial delegate races not shown) Democratic gain Democratic hold Republican gain Republican hold Independent hold | |
| Gubernatorial elections | |
| Seats contested | 38 (36 states, 2 territories) |
| Net seat change | Republican +10 |
| 1994 gubernatorial election results
Democratic gain Democratic hold Republican gain Republican hold Independent gain | |
Republicans were able to nationalize the election by campaigning on a "Contract with America," and the new Republican majorities passed conservative legislation such as the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, and the Defense of Marriage Act. The election was a major defeat for Clinton's health care plan, but Clinton's subsequent move to the center may have helped him win re-election in 1996. George W. Bush's election as Governor of Texas laid the groundwork for his successful campaign for president in 2000.
The Republicans heavily attacked Clinton for reneging on his "New Democrat" philosophy that he had run on in 1992. Clinton had passed a tax increase and an assault weapons ban in his first two years in office and had allowed homosexuals to be in the military, sparking backlash. Clinton's push for universal healthcare was the straw that broke the camel's back, as the GOP ran heavily against it in the midterms and is argued to be the main reason why the Democrats faced heavy losses in 1994.