You mean between 1958 and 1980. Reagen briefly had a GOP majority in the Senate, after gaining 12 seats (!!!) in 1980.
1980 Republican blow out year, take the Senate
1986 Republicans lose Senate, big Democrat gains
As the weak first termers lose
Now fast forward to 1994, huge Republican gains in the Senate
6 years later in 2000 Republicans lose net 4 seats as the weak ones elected in 1994 lose.
2006 is six years after a very good election for Senate Democrats. This suggests to me that all the Dem rookies who won close races should be scared.
My prediction is a very good 2006 followed by more difficult years in the future. It's always harder for the party that has more freshman senators.
Yes, sorry about that error. I remember the 1980 landslide very well. That was the largest turnover of Senate seats in my lifetime, though the Dems gained 15 in 1958, the year before I was born. GOP actually gained some ground in '82 and they were up to 55, though I think at least one senator was appointed. I was surprised and disappointed when they lost ground the year of Reagan's landslide reelection, just as they had in '72 with Nixon. Then in 1986 I was stunned when the Dems gained 8 and took back a majority. Even the most optimistic Dems had not expected them to do that well. That was the year a guy named Daschle got elected, and Robert Byrd (!!) became either president pro tem or majority leader. How times have changed.