Reply #56: Perhaps this - "RNC Warning of House Losses in '06?" [View All]

[Pirate Smile]

RNC Warning of House Losses in '06?
by Hunter
Sat Mar 19th, 2005 at 21:18:41 PST

Interesting. Robert Novak over at townhall says:

"WASHINGTON -- Analysts at the Republican National Committee (RNC) have sent this warning to the House of Representatives: the party is in danger of losing 25 seats in the 2006 election and, therefore, of losing control of the House for the first time since the 1994 election.

Although some Republicans on Capitol Hill believe the RNC is just trying to frighten them, concern about keeping the present 232 to 202 edge pervades GOP ranks. The second mid-term election of an eight-year presidency often produces heavy congressional losses for the party in power.
A footnote: Rep. Christopher Shays, re-elected from his Connecticut district last year with 52 percent, is considered by colleagues as the most vulnerable Republican incumbent. Other especially shaky GOP House members include Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania and Rob Simmons of Connecticut."

Novak may be Satan's Poolboy, but he is well connected inside the Republican Party (as the Plame case makes abundantly clear.)

Now maybe the RNC really is concerned about losing 25 seats next year, or maybe they're "just trying to frighten" House Republicans into thinking so. Either way, it seems pretty obvious they're sending up a warning flare that maybe, just maybe, the House Republicans might want to rein in on the wackiness and start looking a bit less... whatever the hell they've been going for, these past few years.

We've been thinking that the ethical lapses (ethical lapses? Try bribery, extortion, corruption, and a near-complete dismantling of the House ethics system) of the current House Republicans have opened up a big hole against which Democrats can run nationwide next year. This seems to be hinting that the RNC sees the same hole?

http://www.dailykos.com/