Democratic leader dismisses GOP hopes for a House takeover

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) on Thursday dismissed suggestions that this November’s midterm contests would sweep the GOP into control of the House, saying he didn’t think Republicans could win back the majority.

“I think that all 435 seats are in play every two years,” Clyburn said on the liberal Bill Press radio show. “Will they pick up the 40 votes necessary to take over the House? I don’t think so.”

Republicans have been openly expressing confidence in their electoral footing for some time now, and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in late April that the GOP thought 100 House seats were in play this fall.

{mosads}The party of the president typically suffers losses in the first midterm election cycle, though Democrats are hoping to avoid a repeat of history as much as they can.

“I think tradition will prevail, but I don’t think any kind of mass turnover will take place,” Clyburn said.

The third-ranking House Democrat pointed to signs of recovery in the economy and to reports that Democrats have touted showing low taxes for consumers this year. Clyburn said that voters would favor their pocketbooks, and the whip argued that it was Democrats who’d best helped voters.

“I do know that all of us are at the mercy of the economy,” he said. “I think people will respond to their pocketbooks, because Barack Obama has reduced taxes for them.”