Presidential administrations, especially in the modern era, have depended upon sympathetic majorities in Congress to enact their legislative programs. If a president's own party controls a single house of Congress, he has a fighting chance to accomplish his goals, but with control in neither the House nor Senate presidential plans seldom go far. Majorities in both houses, of course, vastly increase the prospects of success. The table below provides the opportunity to observe the growth and decline of party strength in the House and Senate from the Washington administration to the present.
|
Congress
|
Years
|
House
|
Senate
|
President |
|
1st
|
1789-1791
|
Pro 38
Con 26 |
Pro 17
Con 9 |
Washington (No Party) |
|
2nd
|
1791-1793
|
Fed 37
Dem-Rep 33 |
Fed 16
Dem-Rep 13 |
Washington (Federalist) |
|
3rd
|
1793-1795
|
Dem-Rep 57
Fed 48 |
Fed 17
Dem-Rep 13 |
Washington (Federalist) |
|
4th
|
1795-1797
|
Fed 54
Dem-Rep 52 |
Fed 19
Dem-Rep 13 |
Washington (Federalist) |
|
5th
|
1797-1799
|
Fed 58
Dem-Rep 48 |
Fed 20
Dem-Rep 12 |
Adams (Federalist) |
|
6th
|
1799-1801
|
Fed 64
Dem-Rep 42 |
Fed 19
Dem-Rep 13 |
Adams (Federalist) |
|
7th
|
1801-1803
|
Dem-Rep 69
Fed 36 |
Dem-Rep 18
Fed 13 |
Jefferson (Dem. Rep.) |
|
8th
|
1803-1805
|
Dem-Rep 102
Fed 39 |
Dem-Rep 25
Fed 9 |
Jefferson (Dem. Rep.) |
|
9th
|
1805-1807
|
Dem-Rep 116
Fed 25 |
Dem-Rep 27
Fed 7 |
Jefferson (Dem. Rep.) |
|
10th
|
1807-1809
|
Dem-Rep 118
Fed 24 |
Dem-Rep 28
Fed 6 |
Jefferson (Dem. Rep.) |
|
11th
|
1809-1811
|
Dem-Rep 94
Fed 48 |
Dem-Rep 28
Fed 6 |
Madison (Dem. Rep.) |
|
12th
|
1811-1813
|
Dem-Rep 108
Fed 36 |
Dem-Rep 30
Fed 6 |
Madison (Dem. Rep.) |
|
13th
|
1813-1815
|
Dem-Rep 112
Fed 68 |
Dem-Rep 27
Fed 9 |
Madison (Dem. Rep.) |
|
14th
|
1815-1817
|
Dem-Rep 117
Fed 65 |
Dem-Rep 25
Fed 11 |
Madison (Dem. Rep.) |
|
15th
|
1817-1819
|
Dem-Rep 141
Fed 42 |
Dem-Rep 34
Fed 10 |
Monroe (Dem. Rep.) |
|
16th
|
1819-1821
|
Dem-Rep 156
Fed 27 |
Dem-Rep 35
Fed 7 |
Monroe (Dem. Rep.) |
|
17th
|
1821-1823
|
Dem-Rep 158
Fed 25 |
Dem-Rep 44
Fed 4 |
Monroe (Dem. Rep.) |
|
18th
|
1823-1825
|
Dem-Rep 187
Fed 26 |
Dem-Rep 44
Fed 4 |
Monroe (Dem. Rep.) |
|
19th
|
1825-1827
|
JQA 105
AJ 97 |
JQA 26
AJ 20 |
J.Q. Adams (Dem. Rep.) |
|
20th
|
1827-1829
|
AJ 119
JQA 94 |
AJ 28
JQA 20 |
J.Q. Adams (Dem. Rep.) |
| top of page | Key to Parties at bottom |
|
Years
|
House
|
Senate
|
President | |
|
21st
|
1829-1831
|
Dem 139
Natl Rep 74 |
Dem 26
Natl Rep 22 |
Jackson
(Democrat) |
|
22nd
|
1831-1833
|
Dem 141
Natl Rep 58 Other 14 |
Dem 25
Natl Rep 21 Other 2 |
Jackson
(Democrat) |
|
23rd
|
1833-1835
|
Dem 147
Anti-Mas 53 Other 60 |
Dem 20
Natl Rep 20 Other 8 |
Jackson
(Democrat) |
|
24th
|
1835-1837
|
Dem 145
Whig 98 |
Dem 27
Whig 25 |
Jackson
(Democrat) |
|
25th
|
1837-1839
|
Dem 108
Whig 107 Other 24 |
Dem 30
Whig 18 Other 4 |
Van Buren
(Democrat) |
|
26th
|
1839-1841
|
Dem 124
Whig 118 |
Dem 28
Whig 22 |
Van Buren
(Democrat) |
|
27th
|
1841-1843
|
Whig 133
Dem 102 Other 6 |
Whig 28
Dem 22 |
|
|
28th
|
1843-1845
|
Dem 142
Whig 79 Other 1 |
Whig 28
Dem 25 |
Tyler
(Whig) |
|
29th
|
1845-1847
|
Dem 143
Whig 77 Other 6 |
Dem 31
Whig 25 |
Polk
(Democrat) |
|
30th
|
1847-1849
|
Whig 115
Dem 108 Other 4 |
Dem 36
Whig 21 Other 1 |
Polk
(Democrat) |
|
31st
|
1849-1851
|
Dem 112
Whig 109 Other 9 |
Dem 35
Whig 25 Other 2 |
|
|
32nd
|
1851-1853
|
Dem 140
Whig 88 Other 5 |
Dem 35
Whig 24 Other 3 |
Fillmore
(Whig) |
|
33rd
|
1853-1855
|
Dem 159
Whig 71 Other 4 |
Dem 38
Whig 22 Other 2 |
Pierce
(Democrat) |
|
34th
|
1855-1857
|
Rep 108
Dem 83 Other 43 |
Dem 40
Rep 15 Other 5 |
Pierce
(Democrat) |
|
35th
|
1857-1859
|
Dem 118
Rep 92 Other 26 |
Dem 36
Rep 20 Other 8 |
Buchanan
(Democrat) |
|
36th
|
1859-1861
|
Rep 114
Dem 92 Other 31 |
Dem 36
Rep 26 Other 4 |
Buchanan
(Democrat) |
|
37th
|
1861-1863
|
Rep 105
Dem 43 Other 30 |
Rep 31
Dem 10 Other 8 |
Lincoln
(Republican) |
|
38th
|
1863-1865
|
Rep 102
Dem 75 Other 9 |
Rep 36
Dem 12 |
Lincoln
(Republican) |
|
39th
|
1865-1867
|
Union 149
Dem 42 |
Union 42
Dem 10 |
|
|
40th
|
1867-1869
|
Rep 143
Dem 49 |
Rep 42
Dem 11 |
A. Johnson
(Republican) |
| top of page | Key to Parties at bottom |
|
Years
|
House
|
Senate
|
President | |
|
41st
|
1869-1871
|
Rep 149
Dem 63 |
Rep 56
Dem 11 |
Grant
(Republican) |
|
42nd
|
1871-1873
|
Rep 139
Dem 104 |
Rep 52
Dem 17 Other 5 |
Grant (Republican) |
|
43rd
|
1873-1875
|
Rep 194
Dem 92 Other 14 |
Rep 49
Dem 19 Other 5 |
Grant (Republican) |
|
44th
|
1875-1877
|
Dem 182
Rep 103 Other 14 |
Rep 45
Dem 29 Other 2 |
Grant (Republican) |
|
45th
|
1877-1879
|
Dem 155
Rep 136 |
Rep 39
Dem 36 Other 1 |
Hayes (Republican) |
|
46th
|
1879-1881
|
Dem 141
Rep 132 Other 14 |
Dem 42
Rep 33 Other 1 |
Hayes (Republican) |
|
47th
|
1881-1883
|
Rep 147
Dem 135 Other 11 |
Dem 37
Rep 37 Other 1 |
Garfield Arthur (Republican) |
|
48th
|
1883-1885
|
Dem 197
Rep 118 Other 10 |
Rep 38
Dem 36 Other 2 |
Arthur (Republican) |
|
49th
|
1885-1887
|
Dem 183
Rep 140 Other 2 |
Rep 43
Dem 34 |
Cleveland (Democrat) |
|
50th
|
1887-1889
|
Dem 169
Rep 152 Other 4 |
Rep 39
Dem 37 |
Cleveland (Democrat) |
|
51st
|
1889-1891
|
Rep 166
Dem 159 |
Rep 39
Dem 37 |
B. Harrison (Republican) |
|
52nd
|
1891-1893
|
Dem 235
Rep 188 Other 9 |
Rep 47
Dem 39 Other 2 |
B. Harrison (Republican) |
|
53rd
|
1893-1895
|
Dem 218
Rep 126 Other 11 |
Dem 44
Rep 38 Other 3 |
Cleveland (Democrat) |
|
54th
|
1895-1897
|
Rep 244
Dem 105 Other 7 |
Rep 43
Dem 39 Other 6 |
Cleveland (Democrat) |
|
55th
|
1897-1899
|
Rep 204
Dem 113 Other 40 |
Rep 47
Dem 34 Other 7 |
McKinley (Republican) |
|
56th
|
1899-1901
|
Rep 185
Dem 163 Other 9 |
Rep 53
Dem 26 Other 8 |
McKinley (Republican) |
|
57th
|
1901-1903
|
Rep 197
Dem 151 Other 9 |
Rep 55
Dem 31 Other 4 |
McKinley T. Roosevelt (Republican) |
|
58th
|
1903-1905
|
Rep 208
Dem 178 |
Rep 57
Dem 33 |
T. Roosevelt (Republican) |
|
59th
|
1905-1907
|
Rep 250
Dem 136 |
Rep 57
Dem 33 |
T. Roosevelt (Republican) |
|
60th
|
1907-1909
|
Rep 222
Dem 164 |
Rep 61
Dem 31 |
T. Roosevelt (Republican) |
| top of page | Key to Parties at bottom |
|
Years
|
House
|
Senate
|
President | |
|
61st
|
1909-1911
|
Rep 219
Dem 172 |
Rep 61
Dem 32 |
Taft
(Republican) |
|
62nd
|
1911-1913
|
Dem 228
Rep 161 |
Rep 51
Dem 41 |
Taft
(Republican) |
|
63rd
|
1913-1915
|
Dem 291
Rep 127 Other 17 |
Dem 51
Rep 44 Other 1 |
Wilson
(Democrat) |
|
64th
|
1915-1917
|
Dem 230
Rep 196 Other 9 |
Dem 56
Rep 40 |
Wilson
(Democrat) |
|
65th
|
1917-1919
|
Dem 216
Rep 210 Other 6 |
Dem 53
Rep 42 |
Wilson
(Democrat) |
|
66th
|
1919-1921
|
Rep 240
Dem 190 Other 3 |
Rep 49
Dem 47 |
Wilson
(Democrat) |
|
1921-1923
|
Rep 301
Dem 131 Other 1 |
Rep 59
Dem 37 |
Harding
(Republican) |
|
|
68th
|
1923-1925
|
Rep 225
Dem 205 Other 5 |
Rep 51
Dem 43 Other 2 |
Coolidge
(Republican) |
|
69th
|
1925-1927
|
Rep 247
Dem 183 Other 4 |
Rep 56
Dem 39 Other 1 |
Coolidge
(Republican) |
|
70th
|
1927-1929
|
Rep 237
Dem 195 Other 3 |
Rep 49
Dem 46 Other 1 |
Coolidge
(Republican) |
|
71st
|
1929-1931
|
Rep 267
Dem 167 Other 1 |
Rep 56
Dem 39 Other 1 |
Hoover
(Republican) |
|
72nd
|
1931-1333
|
Dem 220
Rep 214 Other 1 |
Rep 48
Dem 47 Other 1 |
Hoover
(Republican) |
|
73rd
|
1933-1935
|
Dem 310
Rep 117 Other 5 |
Dem 60
Rep 35 Other 1 |
F. Roosevelt
(Democrat) |
|
74th
|
1935-1937
|
Dem 319
Rep 103 Other 10 |
Dem 69
Rep 25 Other 2 |
F. Roosevelt
(Democrat) |
|
75th
|
1937-1939
|
Dem 331
Rep 89 Other 13 |
Dem 76
Rep 16 Other 4 |
F. Roosevelt
(Democrat) |
|
76th
|
1939-1941
|
Dem 261
Rep 164 Other 4 |
Dem 69
Rep 23 Other 4 |
F. Roosevelt
(Democrat) |
|
77th
|
1941-1943
|
Dem 268
Rep 162 Other 5 |
Dem 66
Rep 28 Other 2 |
F. Roosevelt
(Democrat) |
|
78th
|
1943-1945
|
Dem 218
Rep 208 Other 4 |
Dem 58
Rep 37 Other 1 |
F. Roosevelt
(Democrat) |
|
79th
|
1945-1947
|
Dem 242
Rep 190 Other 2 |
Dem 56
Rep 38 Other 1 |
F. Roosevelt
Truman (Democrat) |
|
80th
|
1947-1949
|
Rep 245
Dem 188 Other 1 |
Rep 51
Dem 45 |
Truman
(Democrat) |
| top of page | Key to Parties at bottom |
|
Years
|
House
|
Senate
|
President | |
|
81st
|
1949-1951
|
Dem 263
Rep 171 Other 1 |
Dem 54
Rep 42 |
Truman (Democrat) |
|
82nd
|
1951-1953
|
Dem 234
Rep 199 Other 1 |
Dem 49
Rep 47 |
Truman (Democrat) |
|
83rd
|
1953-1955
|
Rep 221
Dem 211 Other 1 |
Rep 48
Dem 47 Other 1 |
Eisenhower (Republican) |
|
84th
|
1955-1957
|
Dem 232
Rep 203 |
Dem 48
Rep 47 Other 1 ---- |