United States Midterm Elections of 2006

Democrats gained 31 House seats and 6 Senate seats, winning both chambers for the first time since 1994.

Overview

Rising discontent over the Iraq War, the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, and a series of congressional scandals turned the 2006 midterms against President George W. Bush and the Republican majority. Democrats picked up 31 House seats and six Senate seats, taking the Senate 51 to 49 with the support of two independents. The day after the election, Bush accepted the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. In January 2007 Nancy Pelosi became the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House. The result ended twelve years of Republican control of the House and set the stage for the 2008 Democratic victory.