NewsMV
Republicans face a formidable structural disadvantage in the upcoming midterm elections, with history suggesting that the president's party typically loses seats in the House of Representatives.
Since 1946, the governing party has lost House seats in 18 of 20 midterm cycles, a pattern that includes Donald Trump's first term, when Republicans shed 41 House seats in 2018 despite gaining two in the Senate.
However, two modern exceptions demonstrate that this trend is not immutable, and both occurred during periods of high presidential approval and national unity.
The most recent exception to the midterm loss cycle happened in 2002, when Republicans under George W. Bush gained eight seats following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
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