As a political scientist with an eye for inaccuracies in political reporting, I must correct the statement in your post-election article (Nov. 14, p. 2) that the 1994 elections "marked the largest swing of seats between parties of any nonpresidential election year this century." In fact, the 53-seat gain by Republicans in the House of Representatives was exceeded in the midterm elections of 1910 (56 seats), 1914 (59 seats), 1922 (75 seats), 1938 (71 seats) and 1946 (55 seats).
As for the Senate, the nine-seat gain by Republicans this year was exceeded in 1910 (10 seats), 1934 (11 seats), 1946 (12 seats) and 1958 (13 seats).
In addition to being numerically greater swings than those experienced this year, the midterm elections in 1910, 1914 and 1946 also resulted in the president's party losing majority control of the House, and the 1946 elections cost the president's party the Senate. 1994 wasn't even the biggest swing of seats away from a Democratic president because the 1914 and 1946 swings in the House and the 1946 swing in the Senate occurred under Democratic presidents Woodrow Wilson and Harry Truman, respectively.
CRAIG RAMSAY
Professor of politics and government
Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio
