By all accounts, 1994 represents sweeping electoral and policy change rarely seen in any American election, let alone in midterm. This book puts 1994 in context with other significant midterm elections, from 1810 to the present.

It also captures the very contemporary concerns unique to 1994: the role of the religious right, the "angry white male," the Contract with America, and the overall tenor of antipathy as voters turned out (or not) to show the Clinton administration what they thought of its first two years. This collection of original essays by noted political scientists gives us the first thoughtful analysis of the 1994 election results and prepares us to anticipate the certain drama and import of the elections of 1996.