# 1838 Midterm Elections [[Martin Van Buren]] administration midterm, held during the deep economic depression that followed the **Panic of 1837**. Whigs gained substantial House seats and approached parity with Democrats, prefiguring the 1840 Whig presidential victory. ## Result - **House:** Democrats held narrow majority (~124 of 242 seats); Whigs ~109 seats — gains of approximately 35-40 from 1834 baseline - **Senate:** Democrats held majority; Whigs gained 2-3 seats - **Chambers flipped:** None — Democratic majority narrowed but held - **Net change:** Major Whig gains; the Panic of 1837 backlash against Van Buren ## Notable - The Panic of 1837 — a severe financial collapse triggered partly by Jackson's destruction of the [[Second Bank of the United States]] and by speculative-bubble dynamics — produced deep depression through 1842; political fallout substantially destroyed Van Buren's reelection prospects - The 25th Congress (1837-1839) and 26th Congress (1839-1841) were dominated by intra-Democratic divisions over the Independent Treasury proposal and over slavery petitions - Pro-slavery **gag rule** in the House (preventing reading of anti-slavery petitions) was renewed and tightened during this period ## Connections - [[Martin Van Buren]] — Sitting president; would lose reelection in 1840.