In the first election since the Supreme Court decided Dred Scott v. Sandford, the Republican Party won a plurality in the House, taking control of a chamber of Congress for the first time in the party's history.

Although Democrats lost control of the House, they retained their majority in the Senate.

In the House, Democrats suffered a major defeat, losing seats to Republicans and a group of southern party members who opposed secession, running on the Opposition Party ticket.

In the Senate, Republicans picked up several seats, but Democrats retained a commanding majority.

Nonetheless the gains were a major win for Republicans who had benefitted from the fallout of the Dred Scott ruling.