the republican party fared well in the 2002 midterm elections, solidifying its hold on the house and regaining control of the senate in the run-up to the war in iraq. this marked the first time since 1934 that the party in control of the white house gained seats in a midterm election in both houses of congress (previous occasions were in 1902 and following the civil war). bush was renominated without opposition as the republican candidate in the 2004 election and titled his political platform "a safer world and a more hopeful america".