While Republicans face political headwinds in this fall’s midterm elections, the party also maintains important structural advantages that could help them preserve their majorities in Congress.
Transcript
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It’s a given that Democrats have an advantage in this year’s midterm elections – the president’s party usually struggles, but Republicans have some advantages too. Here’s NPR congressional reporter Eric McDaniel.
ERIC MCDANIEL, BYLINE: It’s not a secret – President Trump is unpopular and the cost of living in this country is high. Those are indicators that would usually point to a wave election for congressional Democrats, and as their candidates outraise their GOP opponents, they are mostly favored. But the Republicans have the resources to make up that money gap by drawing on outside groups. That includes party-affiliated organizations and super PACs. Here’s Brendan Glavin. He’s director of insights at OpenSecrets. It’s a nonprofit that tracks money in politics.
BRENDAN GLAVIN: These outside groups play a very important role in these races. Republicans have a very big advantage at the super PAC level. The super PACs I’m talking about, they have $187 million cash advantage. And then the big X factor is Trump’s super PAC, which is, you know, MAGA Inc. That super PAC has $400 million.
MCDANIEL: Republicans also won the mid-decade redistricting war kicked off by President Trump. It sums to about a 10-seat boost in the House of Representatives. And in the Senate, too, Republicans say they’re feeling confident about their map, defending seats in red states that Trump has won previously, like Texas and Iowa.
Bernadette Breslin is national press secretary at the National Republican Senatorial Committee. She says that Senate candidates have a compelling message.
BERNADETTE BRESLIN: President Trump and Senate Republicans have delivered lower drug prices, a secure border, new jobs and lower taxes. And our candidates continue to speak with voters across battleground states who have shared how Republicans’ working families tax cuts, for instance, have positively impacted their lives through no taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security.
MCDANIEL: Breslin says Democrats have been in a race to the bottom against far-left candidates in their primaries, and that Americans can see the administration’s results.
BRESLIN: Americans are seeing violent crime rates, for instance, plummet nationally. And that’s thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Senate Republicans.
MCDANIEL: Democrats refute that characterization, of course, and point to cuts to health insurance subsidies passed by Republicans. And they’re on pretty sure footing right now, largely ahead in polling. But with Republicans’ war chest and advantages in House and Senate maps, recreating the massive waves we’ve seen in previous midterm cycles could be a challenge.
Eric McDaniel, NPR News, in Washington.
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