With all the attention on the toss-up states in the race to win control of the U.S. Senate, most folks are turning a blind eye to the quick maneuvering of the GOP in growing its majority in the House.
Given President Obama’s deepening disapproval ratings, Republicans are finding new potential gains in blue states and other areas previously thought impossible. A recent Gallup Poll shows that the Republican Party’s approval ratings have been on a steady increase since their 28 percent low last fall. The GOP now has regained parity with the Democrats, with the parties polling at 40 and 42 percent respectively.
Republican House leaders have been pushing increasingly for weeks what they call the ‘Drive to 245,’ which hints at the goal of gaining 11 new seats in the House for an historic GOP majority.
The last time the GOP had control of that many seats in the House was during the Truman administration. Nathan Gonzalez of the Rothenberg Report commented, “I think the Republicans winning 11 [new seats] is a possibility. It’s not a likely scenario, but I don’t think you can dismiss it entirely.”