When you hear talk of the headwinds facing the party occupying in the White House in midterm elections, there is solid historical reasoning behind the chatter.

Did you know that since 1938, the president’s party has lost seats in the House in 20 of 21 midterms and seats in the Senate 15 times out of 21 elections?

The only time during the period that saw the president’s party gain seats in the House was 2002 when Republicans gained eight seats. On four other occasions, the party in control of the executive branch lost single-digit seats, including a four-seat loss in 1998 under former President Bill Clinton.

In most other midterms, the party in power has suffered drubbings, including 12 elections that saw losses north of 20 seats. The worst performance was a loss of 72 seats in 1938 under president Franklin Roosevelt.

On the Senate side, Republicans have been able to add to their total in two of their last three midterms in the White House, picking up a seat in both 2002 and 2018. Democrats have not done well in three of their last four when in charge, dropping nine seats in 2014; eight in 1994 and six in 2010.

If history is any indication, November 8 could be a long night for Democrats, as the party has not picked up seats in the Senate while occupying the White House since 1962 when it added two to its total. In fact, the best the Dems have done over the last 60 years was a net-zero in 1998.

Democrats in the White House

• Obama 2014 (-13 House, -9 Senate)
• Obama 2010 (-64 House, -6 Senate)
• Clinton 1998 (-4 House, 0 Senate)
• Clinton 1994 (-54 House, -8 Senate)
• Carter 1978 (-15 House, -3 Senate)
• Johnson 1966 (-48 House, -4 Senate)
• Kennedy 1962 (-4 House, +2 Senate)

Republicans in the White House

• Trump 2018 (-42 House, +1 Senate)
• Bush 2006 (-30 House, -6 Senate)
• Bush 2002 (+8 House, +1 Senate)
• Bush 1990 (-8 House, -1 Senate)
• Reagan 1986 (-5 House, -8 Senate)
• Reagan 1982 (-26 House, +1 Senate)
• Ford 1974 (-48 House, -4 Senate)
• Nixon 1970 (-12 House, +1 Senate)