ABSTRACT
In the 1994 midterm elections, the Democratic Party suffered an ominous setback when the Republicans gained control of the House and Senate, marking the first time the GOP controlled both houses of Congress since Dwight D. Eisenhower's first term. With a Democrat in the White House, the situation represented a surprising reversal of the political pattern since World War II, namely, Republican dominance in the presidency and Democratic strength in Congress. The congressional Republicans declared an aggressive legislative package that they dubbed their "Contract with America." In April 1995, Bill Clinton's presidency seemed to have sunk to a nadir when he insisted during a news conference that he was "relevant" to the governing process.
