Republican Gainsinthe Houseinthe 1994 Elections: Class Polarization in American Politics

Abstract

In November 1994, the American political landscape shifted in historic fashion.1 Voters gave Republicans control of both houses of Congress, breaking the Democrats' forty-year hold on the House of Representatives. Divided government once again reigned. The partisan shift in congressional control structured America's political debate, which since then has largely been an ongoing struggle between the Republican-held Congress and the Democratic president. The policy differences have been significant, as illustrated by the passage of a conservative welfare reform bill and the fierce battles between the 104th Congress and the president over government spending and tax cuts. Given this dramatic shift of congressional control and its impact on American politics, scholars have devoted considerable attention to explaining what happened in the 1994 elections and what separated that election from those that preceded it. While many insightful explanations of the 1994 elections have been offered, we argue that they only address parts of the puzzle and have missed the important element that connects those pieces. What has been missed