Some perspective: Republicans lost *13* Senate SEATS IN 1958.

[Smarmie Doofus]

Eisenhower's comparable 2nd term mid terms.

Not great; but not the end of the world either.

wiki:
>>>>The U.S. Senate election, 1958 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's second term. As is common in midterm elections, the party in the White House lost seats, but losses this year were on a huge scale, perhaps due to the high unemployment of the Recession of 1958.
The Eisenhower Administration's position on right-to-work issues galvanized labor unions which supported Democrats. The launch of Sputnik may also have been a factor.

The Democratic Party took thirteen Republican seats (10 of them by defeating incumbents), and also won both Senate seats in the new state of Alaska. Senate elections in 1959 in the new state of Hawaii were split between the two parties; combined with the 1958 results, this yielded an aggregate gain of 16 seats for the Democrats for a party balance of 65-35.

This was the second-largest swing in the history of the Senate, only behind the Republican gains of 18 seats in 1866, and is only the second time in US history that 10 or more Senate seats changed hands in any election.>>>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_elections,_1958

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. They also lost 26 House seats, btw. n/t

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Tee-hee. "Labor unions". Remember them?

>>>The Eisenhower Administration's position on right-to-work issues galvanized labor unions which supported Democrats. >>>>

[Bandit]

3. Also ever since then every single two term President has had both Houses belong to opposition Party

their last two years. EVERY single one of them. Reagan had both Houses swing Democratic his last two years, Clinton had both Houses belong to Republicans his last two years, bush* had both Houses become Democratic his last two years and now the same is true for Obama. It is apparently just how it works in these United States.

[angrychair]

4. please drop this meme

Of "this happens all the time". As of last night, rethugs now control 67 of 98 state legislative bodies ( state houses and/or senate) and have total control of 24 state governments. In contrast Dems have total control of 6 state governments. That is historic in scope.

Who writes and votes for voting laws? State legislatures do. Who draws congressional boundaries every 10 years? State legislatures do.

We will never win and hold a majority again unless this changes.

[NYC Liberal]

5. It's not "historic in scope" at all.

In 1952 Republicans controlled 26 state legislatures and 30 governorships. By 1958, Democrats controlled 30 legislatures and 35 governorships. It's swung back and forth many times.