# 1802 Midterm Elections First-term [[Thomas Jefferson]] administration midterm, held during the popular early-Jefferson-administration period. Democratic-Republicans substantially expanded their House majority — another case of sitting-president-party midterm gain — while the Federalists began the slow electoral decline that would render them nationally irrelevant by 1820. ## Result - **House:** Democratic-Republicans gained seats; majority expanded to ~103 of 142 seats in the 8th Congress - **Senate:** Democratic-Republicans held majority (~25 of 34 seats) - **Chambers flipped:** None — Democratic-Republican control consolidated - **Net change:** Substantial Democratic-Republican gain ## Notable - The Louisiana Purchase (April 1803) was the central event of the 8th Congress that this election produced - Jefferson administration's repeal of the Federalist-era Sedition Act and the Naturalization Act (extending citizenship-residency-requirement back to 5 years) had been popular and substantially defined the Democratic-Republican brand - Federalist Party began its long electoral collapse during this cycle; would not field a national presidential ticket after 1816 ## Connections - [[Thomas Jefferson]] — Sitting president; the early-administration popularity that drove Democratic-Republican gains.