WP: Republicans talk privately about losing 12 to 30 House seats

[DeepModem Mom]

GOP Redirects Funds From Faltering Races
By Dan Balz and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, October 13, 2006; Page A01

Faced with a deteriorating political climate, Republican Party officials are hoping to keep control of the House and Senate with a strategy aimed at shoring up enough endangered incumbents to preserve their majorities, while scaling back planned spending on races that now appear unwinnable.

In recent days, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has given back television time it had reserved in Democratic-held districts in West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio -- apparently concluding that those races are beyond reach unless something dramatic changes the national political environment in the 25 days before the Nov. 7 election....

***

Democrats, meanwhile, are juggling pleas for financial assistance from candidates in House districts once considered second-tier opportunities. The Democrats have ordered up polls in a dozen or more of these long-shot districts and now face a critical choice: whether to place bets on a few of these districts in the hope of expanding the field of competitive seats, or concentrate advertising dollars as planned on the roughly 20 to 25 districts where the odds appear most favorable....

***

Democrats need to gain 15 seats next month to recapture the House. Strategists believe the goal is now attainable, because of high disapproval ratings for both the Republican-controlled Congress and for President Bush, as well as public dissatisfaction over Iraq and the fallout from the Mark Foley page scandal.

Some top Republicans privately talk about losing a minimum of 12 seats, leaving them with a barely workable majority, and as many as 25 or 30 seats. Democratic strategists see the range of potential pickups in almost identical terms....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/12/AR2006101201881.html

[babylonsister]

1. Not that privately, I'm guessing.

:evilgrin: Thanks again, DM M. :hi:

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Hey, bsister -- we must be the late shift around here! nt

[babylonsister]

7. D M Mom, I love you for your energy and enlightenment!

Maybe people are waking up, or not. We'll be here. :hug:

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Yes, indeed!

:D

[barb162]

2. great news

[dorktv]

3. Rahm just pissed me off again. Apparently pulling funding from one

of AZ's tight races.

[babylonsister]

6. Rahm is working for the DLC? WTF? How about different views

in a united party? He's also not on the same page as Dr. Dean? I do not get it, or those that embrace them.

[dorktv]

11. That is not why I am mad. I am mad because this race is winnable and

he just acted like a retard.

[Kiouni]

5. I wonder in these secret meetings if

they cry and hold eachother for support.

[bluestateguy]

8. I think the parameter that they should plan for is more like 20 to 40

The most optimistic projections in 1994 for Republicans were that they would net 40 seats. Instead, they netted 53.

[Erika]

10. The non-thinking GOP W rubber stampers will be lost

As David Broder said, they may actually have to think and converse.

[BeFree]

12. We should win 60 seats

If we don't win at least 60 seats, there will be no change. But the people want change. If there is no change it will be because of the way the votes are counted.