House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) says he’s feeling optimistic that Republicans will keep control of the Senate and maintain their strong majority in the House.
“I feel better about it today than I have in months,” Ryan said of the Senate, during a Wednesday event at the Economic Club of Washington D.C.
{mosads}”If you asked me this question six, seven weeks ago, I was a little worried. I feel much, much better now.”
Ryan said he thought Republican Sens. Rob Portman (Ohio), Kelly Ayotte (N.H.) and Pat Toomey (Pa.) were in good shape and that Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) appeared to be in a tie with his opponent. He also predicted that Republicans would win an open seat in Nevada that is being vacated by Minority Leader Harry Reid (D), who is retiring.
Portman has a significant lead in his race, but Ayotte has a slim lead in hers and Toomey is trailing his Democratic challenger, according to RealClearPolitics polling averages. And Johnson is trailing Russ Feingold in a rematch of their 2010 race by nearly 10 points, according to RCP.
Ryan also expressed confidence that House Republicans would maintain a similar-sized majority to what they currently have.
“I feel pretty good about it actually. I do,” he said, adding that he would spend October campaigning for his colleagues.
“We have really strong members who are running great campaigns, and so, so-far, so-good.”
On the presidential race, Ryan said, “I think it’s tight, it’s close.” He added that he did not think Monday’s debate significantly changed the dynamics of the race between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated Ayotte was trailing in the New Hampshire Senate race according to a polling average.
– Updated at 11:44 a.m.