CLEVELAND — Rep. Greg Walden, who chairs the House Republicans’ campaign arm, said Monday that despite the focus on Donald Trump’s down-ballot effects, Hillary Clinton is the one who could end up dragging her party down in many of the competitive races they’re eyeing.
“We’re not running in a vacuum,” said Mr. Walden, Oregon Republican and chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). “So often the question I get from the pundits that is solely about one nominee, and that person’s potential effect — pro or con — on a race.
“Amazingly, there’s actually two nominees — or three or four or five,” he said. “But two major-party nominees. And what we see as we look in these races … is that Hillary Clinton is as unpopular in the districts where we’re being competitive in most cases — not every single case — as Donald Trump.”
Mr. Walden, speaking at an event hosted by The Atlantic on the opening day of the Republican National Convention, estimated there would be about 20 seats in play out of the country’s 435 congressional districts and pointed out that there are 26 GOP members representing districts carried by President Obama.
Republicans currently control 247 seats in the House and Democrats hold 187, with one vacancy. Mr. Walden said the GOP will keep control of the House after the 2016 elections.
“I think our House races, from what we’re seeing, are independent of the presidential to the most part,” he said. “There [will] always be influences, but for the most part, our members are identified, our candidates are identified, and they’re running their own races.”
He also said it’s easier to link a Democrat to Mrs. Clinton than it is to tie a Republican to Mr. Trump.
“It’s a lot easier to link a Democrat to Hillary Clinton, because she is like quintessential establishment Democrat party, continue the Obama administration forever and ever, amen, than it is to link a Republican to Donald Trump,” he said.
“They will try that. They’ll have some limited success at that, but they are totally different styles of campaigns,” Mr. Walden said.
Mr. Walden also said Mr. Trump has “every opportunity” to win the general election, and that there would be a better picture on that front once the two major parties hold their respective conventions.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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