Divided government definition
A divided government exists when party control is split between the president and one or both chambers of Congress.
Divided government means party control is split between the president and Congress. One party holds the presidency, while the other holds the majority in at least one chamber. Congress has two chambers, the US House and the US Senate. Voters elect the president and members of Congress separately, so the presidency and the two chambers can end up under the control of different parties.
What is unified government?
A unified government is when one party holds the presidency and the majority in both chambers of Congress. It’s also called “unified party control.”
In the 119th Congress (2025–2027), Republicans hold the presidency, 220 of the 435 House seats, and 53 of the 100 Senate seats.
Why does divided government happen?
Congressional elections happen every two years. All 435 House seats are on the ballot each time, and a different third of the 100 Senate seats is up for election because senators serve six-year terms.
Midterm elections fall halfway between presidential elections. A midterm can change the majority party in either chamber without changing who holds the presidency.
What are examples of divided government?
Voters elected a Democratic president in 2020 and gave Republicans a House majority in the 2022 midterm elections. That produced divided government in the 118th Congress (2023–2025), with Republicans holding 222 of the 435 House seats and Democrats holding the Senate majority.
The two chambers can also split, with one party holding the House majority and the other holding the Senate majority.
Judicial confirmations are one place where divided government is visible. Since 1993, in Congresses where the president's party held the Senate majority, the Senate confirmed a median of 73% of federal appeals court appointees. When the other party held the majority, the median share was 44%.
Keep exploring
- In today's Congress, three seats can decide everything. - Unlike the large majorities of the past, today’s congressional control often hinges on only a few seats changing hands.
- In Congress, a single "day" can last 30 seconds or stretch well over 24 hours - We went through more than a decade of official records to understand how congressional time actually works. The answer is weirder than expected.
- Tracking every state’s electoral votes since 1804. - The Electoral College has been part of every presidential election since 1789, but the number of electors and the balance of voting power among states have changed over time.
- A senator’s sister just filled his seat. How does that work? - Not all Senate seats are won at the ballot box. Here's who fills them and how long they serve in the Senate.
