Posted on 09/02/2014 11:31:02 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Tepid fundraising, underperforming candidates and a lousy party brand are threatening to deprive House Republicans of the sweeping 2014 gains that some top party officials have been predicting this year.
POLITICO interviewed more than a dozen top strategists from both parties about their outlook for the House in the midterms, and their assessment was nearly unanimous: Republicans are on track to expand their majority by only five or six seats, or roughly half their goal. The conversations covered everything from advertising strategies to fundraising to polling.
A small gain would again leave Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) largely beholden to the tea party wing of the party, with little room to maneuver on a governing agenda.
With the post-Labor Day homestretch kicking off, the interviews revealed:
* Republicans are convinced they’ll be significantly outspent by Democrats — in contrast to the 2010 midterm elections, when the GOP overwhelmed its opponents with an avalanche of cash.
* GOP strategists are particularly worried about the performance of a handful of candidates who are well-positioned to win but seen as running poor campaigns. Three are mentioned repeatedly: Florida Rep. Steve Southerland, Nebraska Rep. Lee Terry and Virginia House candidate Barbara Comstock.
* Nearly a year after the government shutdown, Republicans privately say the party’s tattered public image is dragging down candidates in key races.
* Despite the GOP’s troubles, Democrats remain anxious that the political environment could deteriorate still further before Election Day. They say two of their vulnerable incumbents, New Hampshire Rep. Carol Shea-Porter and Illinois Rep. Bill Enyart, may soon be lost causes and are scrambling to prevent that list from growing.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
If the GOP unstuck its head from its own ass long enough to realize that REPUBLICAN VOTERS ARE SICK OF LIBERAL REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES, they may be able to remain relevant... but only after they behead the RINO in the room.
An enemy at the gates is far more preferable to a traitor within the wire.
“Politico” is adrift-at-sea, without a paddle or purpose!!! Waste of time, reading any of their Obama spin!!!
Even though I have tried in a polite way to explain to you why you
should not get too excited about a “sweeping election” by the GOP.
You don’t quite seem to understand that a lot of voters need reasons
to vote for, not just reasons to vote against.
We all get democrats bad, democrats evil.
But no one knows what the GOP is running on except democrats bad.
That may be enough to win a squeaker majority in the senate, but it will
not be enough to provide a sweeping election.
I totally understand how you feel, however I am SO AFRAID for our nation
right now in my lifetime I have NEVER believed our democratic senators
were Marxists I firmly believe this at this time, they truly WANT to destroy
this nation!!!!! This is a terrible thing to say but I truly HOPE we NEVER
have another BLACK president, this man is a TRUE MARXIST!!!!!!! He is
also a MUSLIM. I don’t care what anyone says HE IS AN AMERICAN HATING MUSLIM also a coward!!!!!!!!!
Holy cow. Hard to believe ts that much lower than 2010.
I have the entire audio bible on a thumb drive in my car. I have a 2.5 hour daily commute. I listened to Revelation again today, repeating a few books.
I moved to central KY from seattle in 2011 in the spirit of Revelation 18:4
I was just telling my wife tonight that I think I listen to the news now (when I do) with the subconscious belief that I am listening to Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelation, et al in real time.
Maybe attacking conservatives is not a good strategy?
What does the Republican Party stand for today? Seriously.
They are the Seinfeld Party, a Party about Nothing.
It's hard to build enthusiasm for an opposition party that doesn't fight back.
That is why Democrats are running scared. There's a potential tsunami on the way. Previous voting models employed by pollsters for local races may run aground this election cycle. Races that are showing up as close may turn out to be anything but.
Who knew?
You are right.
NO Republican has articulated a thing.
I’ll sit home and let the Democrats have the government. We KNOW what they stand for and what their EVIL vision is for this nation, but I guess it isn’t right, or worth it, to just vote against it.
Until someone SAYS something, or MAKES A PROMISE, I want to hear I am not going to vote. If the country continues to sink....oh well.
Is that the strategy?
ANYONE can SAY, or PROMISE ANYTHING!!!! You are going to hold your vote until someone “talks” you in to voting for them? I guess it really is a hopeless situation.
What is the strategy, the GOP’s vision or plan if they win the senate?
No one can seem to tell me other than Harry Reid bad, Democrat evil.
So enlighten me. There used to be a time when a party would tell Americans what they would do with power, if given power. What is the GOP vision if they are given power?
The REPUBLICANS I listen to want:
Development of US Energy Resources
Enforced Borders
Judges who value the Constitution
Lower Taxes
Replacing ObamaCare
I am sick of conservative minded folks depending on a statement or vision. Deomocrats are EVIL and are RUINING this nation. If a vote fo a GOP candidate slows this down by embracing any of the above it is enough for me to vote. I am sick of LOSING elections to Democrats.
If you want to sit it out because you aren’t hearing EXACTLY what you want from Republicans that is a choice you can make. If I get a chance to step on a cockroach and rid the world of one pest I’ll do it. If my vote keeps one more Democrat out of office I’ll do it.
Democrats bad, Reid evil might be enough to squeak by winning the senate, but it will not be enough for the sweeping election some think
are coming.
I get it. For you, democrats bad Reid evil, is enough
But it is not enough for a lot of other Americans.
They deserve and want to know what the GOPe’s will do with that power.
The GOP had ALL branches of government not that long ago and
spent like drunken sailors as well. In fact, the only other administration
that spent more than that hapless GOP bunch is the Obama administration.
I hope we win the senate. But I also hope we ditch Mitch, as well.
We can do both.
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