1946 United States elections

Elections were held on November 5, 1946, and elected the members of the 80th United States Congress. In the first election taking place in the aftermath of World War II, the Democratic Party of incumbent President Harry S. Truman (who took office on April 12, 1945, upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt) suffered large losses to the Republican Party. After having been in the minority of both the House of Representatives and the Senate since 1932, the Republicans took control of both chambers. This Republican wave reflected a public backlash against President Truman over post-war economic hardships (including the Recession of 1945), worsening relations with the Soviet Union, and Truman's handling of the United Auto Workers strike. Afterwards, Truman was widely expected to lose the 1948 United States presidential election, though he ultimately managed an upset victory over Republican Thomas E. Dewey.

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