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Reference

Who has controlled Congress since 1951

Democrats held the House majority in 25 of the 38 Congresses since 1951, including 20 in a row from 1955 to 1995. Republicans held it in 13. The Senate: 24 Democratic, 13 Republican and 1 that changed hands mid-term.

1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 2021
Each bar is one Congress: House seats (blue, Democrats; red, Republicans; the line marks half). The strip below shows which party ran the Senate.
CongressYearsHouse DHouse RHouseSenate
119 2025–2027 215 220 Republicans Republicans
118 2023–2025 213 222 Republicans Democrats
117 2021–2023 222 212 Democrats Democrats
116 2019–2021 235 199 Democrats Republicans
115 2017–2019 194 241 Republicans Republicans
114 2015–2017 188 247 Republicans Republicans
113 2013–2015 201 234 Republicans Democrats
112 2011–2013 193 242 Republicans Democrats
111 2009–2011 257 178 Democrats Democrats
110 2007–2009 233 202 Democrats Democrats
109 2005–2007 202 232 Republicans Republicans
108 2003–2005 205 229 Republicans Republicans
107 2001–2003 212 221 Republicans Split
106 1999–2001 211 223 Republicans Republicans
105 1997–1999 207 226 Republicans Republicans
104 1995–1997 204 230 Republicans Republicans
103 1993–1995 258 176 Democrats Democrats
102 1991–1993 267 167 Democrats Democrats
101 1989–1991 260 175 Democrats Democrats
100 1987–1989 258 177 Democrats Democrats
99 1985–1987 254 181 Democrats Republicans
98 1983–1985 269 166 Democrats Republicans
97 1981–1983 243 192 Democrats Republicans
96 1979–1981 278 157 Democrats Democrats
95 1977–1979 292 143 Democrats Democrats
94 1975–1977 291 144 Democrats Democrats
93 1973–1975 243 192 Democrats Democrats
92 1971–1973 255 180 Democrats Democrats
91 1969–1971 243 192 Democrats Democrats
90 1967–1969 248 187 Democrats Democrats
89 1965–1967 295 140 Democrats Democrats
88 1963–1965 258 176 Democrats Democrats
87 1961–1963 264 173 Democrats Democrats
86 1959–1961 282 153 Democrats Democrats
85 1957–1959 232 203 Democrats Democrats
84 1955–1957 232 203 Democrats Democrats
83 1953–1955 213 221 Republicans Republicans
82 1951–1953 235 199 Democrats Democrats

House seats at the start of each Congress: Office of the House Historian, "Party Divisions of the House of Representatives". Senate control: U.S. Senate, "Party Division". In the 107th Congress (2001–2003) the Senate was split 50–50 and passed to Democrats in June 2001, when Sen. Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party. Midterms since 1946 →

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