United States elections, 1994

The 1994 United States elections were held on November 8, 1994. The election occurred in the middle of Democratic President Bill Clinton's first term in office, and elected the members of 104th United States Congress. This was the year known as the Republican Revolution, in which members of the Republican Party captured majorities in the House of Representatives, Senate and governors mansions. Republicans were able to gain eight Senate seats, fifty-four House seats, and ten governorships. The 1994 elections turned out to be an "epic slaughter" of the Democratic Party, with Republicans winning 54 House and 9 U.S. Senate seats, increasing the number of Republican governors from 20 to 30 (out of 50), and flipping many state legislatures from Democratic to Republican control. The election ended "60 years of Democratic dominance in American politics" and ushered in a period when "the two parties were on a par."

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.

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