While Washington ran for president as an independent, his followers (more specifically, the supporters of Alexander Hamilton) formed the nation's first organized political party, the Federalist Party, whose members and sympathizers are identified as pro-Administration on this page.

In response, followers of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison created the opposition Democratic-Republican Party, who are identified as anti-Administration on this page.

The Federalists promoted urbanization, industrialization, mercantilism, centralized government, and a broad interpretation of the United States Constitution.

In contrast, Democratic-Republicans supported the ideal of an agrarian republic made up of self-sufficient farmers and small, localized governments with limited power.

Despite nearly unanimous support for Washington as a presidential candidate, Jeffersonian ideas edged out Hamiltonian principles at the ballot box for congressional candidates, with the Democratic-Republicans taking 24 seats more than they had prior to the organization of their political movement.

Dominated by agrarian culture, these Western territories offered strong support to Democratic-Republican congressional candidates.

In this period, each state fixed its own date for its congressional election as early as August 1792 (in New Hampshire and Rhode Island) and as late as September 1793 (in Kentucky).

Due to re-apportionment following the 1790 census, New York's congressional delegation grew from 6 to 10.

If no candidate won a majority, a runoff election was held, which happened in the 1st district.

Virginia gained nine representatives from the 1790 census, and in addition, the old 2nd district was lost after its territory became the new State of Kentucky.