Democrats currently enjoy a trifecta controlling the US House, Senate, and White House. Trifectas are more common than one might think.
32 Presidents have had a trifecta, 73% of the total. The 24 periods total 135 years or 61% of US history. Only six trifectas lasted at least 8 years and only three Presidents served at least 8 full years with a trifecta (Jefferson, Madison, FDR). The last trifecta to last 8 years was during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations 40 years ago. Although the average trifecta lasted 5.6 years the median is 2 years. The granddaddy of them all was the 22 year reign from 1801-23 ended not by an opposition party but a plethora of factions (see election of 1824).
This moved me to take out my table of party systems again, just one week after its last appearance, because I think it has something to teach us that these sort of aggregate statistics can't. Here's the table:
Partisan Balance In US History
Through Six Party Systems
Control of Presidency, House & Senate
Dem-Reps: 12 / Feds: 2 / Split: 1
Dem-Reps: 9 / Whigs: 1 / Split: 7
Dems: 1 / Reps: 9 / Split: 8
Dems 3 / Reps: 12 / Split: 3
Dems: 13 / Reps: 1 / Split: 4
Dems: 3 / Reps 2.25 / Split: 13.75
Summarizing just the figures from above:
First Party System: Dem-Reps: 12 / Feds: 2 / Split: 1 Second Party System: Dem-Reps: 9 / Whigs: 1 / Split: 7 Third Party System: Dems: 1 / Reps: 9 / Split: 8 Fourth Party System: Dems 3 / Reps: 12 / Split: 3 Fifth Party System: Dems: 13 / Reps: 1 / Split: 4 Sixth Party System: Dems: 3 / Reps 2.25 / Split: 13.75
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