Going back to the Eisenhower years, Republicans have not done well at midterm elections at the six year mark of a Presidency!
The Republicans lost seats in 1958 under President Eisenhower, 48 seats in the House and 13 in the Senate!
The Republicans lost seats in 1974 under President Ford, shortly after Richard Nixon resigned, 49 seats in the House and 3 in the Senate!
The Republicans lost seats and control of both houses in 1986, under President Reagan, 5 seats in the House and 8 seats in the Senate!
The Republicans had no gain in seats in the Senate in 1998 under President Clinton, despite the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and the Democrats gained 5 seats in the House of Representatives.
The Republicans lost seats and control of both houses in 2006, under President George W. Bush, 31 in the House and 6 in the Senate!
So the midterm elections in the first term of a President are VERY different than in the second term of a President, as evidenced by what has just been delineated!
So it is not time to despair for the Democrats and President Obama in the 2014 midterm elections!