# 1794 Midterm Elections Second-term [[George Washington]] administration midterm, held against the political backdrop of the **Whiskey Rebellion** (summer 1794, Washington personally led 13,000 militia into western Pennsylvania) and the **Jay Treaty** negotiations with Britain (signed November 1794, ratified 1795 amid significant Democratic-Republican opposition). The Federalist-vs-Democratic-Republican party formation became substantially more explicit during this cycle. ## Result - **House:** Federalists narrowly held majority (~54 of 105 seats in the 4th Congress) - **Senate:** Federalists held majority (~21 of 32 seats) - **Chambers flipped:** None - **Net change:** Federalist margin narrowed in the House as Democratic-Republican opposition consolidated ## Notable - The 3rd Congress had already split between pro-Whiskey-Rebellion-suppression Federalists and Democratic-Republicans more sympathetic to western farmer grievances; the election ratified the party split - Jay Treaty became the central political fight of the subsequent 4th Congress (1795-1797) - Democratic-Republican Societies (proto-political-party local organizations) flourished during this cycle and were denounced by Washington ## Connections - [[George Washington]] — Sitting president; the Whiskey Rebellion and Jay Treaty defined his second term.