▁a ▁power - sh aring ▁agreement ▁that ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁two ▁" co - spe akers " ▁( one ▁from ▁each ▁party ) ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁chamber . ▁Republic ans ▁gained ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 6 8 0 ▁seats ▁in ▁state ▁legisl ative ▁races , ▁breaking ▁the ▁previous ▁record ▁of ▁ 6 2 8 ▁f li pped ▁seats ▁set ▁by ▁Democr ats ▁in ▁the ▁post - W ater gate ▁elections ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁Six ▁states ▁saw ▁both ▁ch amb ers ▁switch ▁from ▁Dem ocrat ▁to ▁Republican ▁major ities : ▁Alabama ▁( where ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁won ▁a ▁majority ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁ 1 3 6 ▁years ), ▁Maine ▁( for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 1 9 6 4 ), ▁Minnesota , ▁New ▁Ham pshire , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁( for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 1 8 9 6 ), ▁and ▁Wisconsin . ▁In ▁addition , ▁by ▁pick ing ▁up ▁the ▁lower ▁ch amb ers ▁in ▁Indiana , ▁Ohio , ▁Michigan , ▁Mont ana ▁and ▁Pennsylvania , ▁Republic ans ▁gained ▁control ▁of ▁both ▁ch amb ers ▁in ▁an ▁additional ▁five ▁states . ▁Further , ▁Republic ans ▁picked ▁up ▁one ▁chamber ▁from ▁Democr ats ▁in ▁Colorado , ▁Iowa , ▁and ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁split ▁control ▁in ▁those ▁states . ▁They ▁expanded ▁major ities ▁in ▁both ▁ch amb ers ▁in ▁Texas , ▁Florida , ▁and ▁Georgia . ▁The ▁massive ▁Republican ▁vict ories ▁in ▁legisl ative ▁races ▁would ▁be ▁widely ▁expected ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁major ▁impact ▁on