Michael Steele, Former RNC Chair, Says Democrats Could Take House (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- The former Republican chairman who oversaw his party's takeover of the House of Representatives in 2010 thinks the Democrats could turn the tables this year.

To win the majority in the last election, the GOP needed 39 seats and won 63. This year, the Democrats need 25, and former Republican National Committee chief Michael Steele said Friday that they may do it, especially with President Barack Obama running hard and a potentially weak GOP contender at the top of the ticket.

"Twenty-five seats is not a lot," Steele said on MSNBC.

"When we won those seats that were formerly held by Democrats, that were in not necessarily strong Democrat districts but Democrat districts, those Republicans now have to go on the defense in an environment where the president is really going to be engaged," Steele elaborated. "The top of the ticket right now for the Republicans is a question mark, but if that individual's not strong, you could have a downward pressure on that individual congressman, and that forces that person out."

In such circumstances, Steele predicts a hard battle for his party to keep control.

"Twenty-five seats will be tough, I think, for the GOP to keep in an environment where if their message doesn't click, their momentum isn't there. It could be very, very hard," he said. "Right now I still say they hold it, but they're going to have to come with a good A game to hold it."

As RNC chairman, Steele was not popular with many Republicans because of his free-speaking style, although in this case they may agree that a weak top of the ticket makes their job harder. Some Republicans have argued that Obama will help them in swing districts because they think independents blame the president for the sluggish economy.

One GOP operative who was not impressed with Steele's chairmanship was also not impressed with his prognosticating. "Having had so little to do with Republican gains in 2010, it's no surprise that Michael Steele is clueless about the party's chances in 2012," the operative said.

Democrats earlier this week rolled out their slate of candidates who they think have a shot at winning Republican or open seats, including 39 races that Steve Israel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, called "real deal" opportunities.

Michael McAuliff covers politics and Congress for The Huffington Post. Talk to him on Facebook.

Update: 3:50 p.m. This story was updated to add criticism from a Republican operative.

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Comments

[sessss]

12:24 AM on 04/12/2012

Obamaunist is not liberal. A liberal is like Ron Paul, a constitutionalists. Obamaunist will loose in 2012. He can not rerun as the coming Messiah. Obamaunist, his czars, and his New Black Panther Party terrorist group will be kicked to the curb.

[sessss]

12:39 AM on 04/12/2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8YDnd1Yoyk&feature=player_embedded

[yougg]

03:40 PM on 01/22/2012

The best senario would be the Republicans and the TPers get trounced in both chambers. Obama might have a better group to work with and we might be able to make some progress on something ANYTHING. The batch of Republican presidental contenders is abysmal.

[Carol Graffius]

07:44 PM on 01/22/2012

Your right on the mark, it is not what they tell you, it is their actions. Believe me, more people have been watching than repubs give credit. People know what is up!

[hhoc612710]

03:36 PM on 01/21/2012

Working as a contributor with MSNBC , Michael sees his party from the other side and it's not a good picture. At least he made a true statement based on his experience and all the events since nov 2010

[rmax53]

02:38 PM on 01/21/2012

The Tea Party offered a weak, distasteful brew. Most of the people who were suckered into drinking it won't go back for seconds.

[JDZSB]

02:27 PM on 01/21/2012

The liberals are trying hard to convince themselves that the American voters like what Obama and his socialist minions are doing to this country and will actually vote for more years of it. Look, the economy is still in the dumper. The unemployment rate is really up closer to 15% and we see how the number is being manipulated to stay under 9%. The national debt is now higher then our GNP and growing at a rate of 100 Billion dollars a month. This country will definitely crash if we do not replace Obama and his CZARs and put some adults in control in both the Whitehouse and Congress. The American people do not want Obamacare or what Obama wants to do to our national defense by gutting the defense budget. So, the Dems are not going make many gains in the House, if any, are going to lose control of the Senate, and are going to lose a close election for President. You can take it to the bank...why...because the American public is finally seeing the radical nature of the liberal agenda and they do not want it for this country.

[lwallis]

03:18 PM on 01/21/2012

Oh please.....radical what?

[hhoc612710]

03:39 PM on 01/21/2012

That's your opinion and I respect it but I disagree with you. American people are more educated now since they have been duped in nov 2010 and they are on Obama's side on every issue. Maybe your don't read the same polls

[Sansculotte]

02:20 PM on 01/21/2012

"Could" !???? Hah. You are going to see a shift back to Democratic control that will make 2008 seem like a triple-overtime buzzer beater.

[RonMcH20]

02:53 PM on 01/21/2012

Tell it!!!!

[lwallis]

03:19 PM on 01/21/2012

And keep on telling it!!!

[rocketdog56]

02:19 PM on 01/21/2012

All I can say is, if we (liberal/progressive Democrats) don't do everything we can to make sure the house and a filibuster proof senate are the result of the next election, we deserve the government we end up with.

[sammi 56]

02:55 PM on 01/21/2012

Absolutely! Dems-- Make sure you vote! And independents, the republicans will do nothing for you!

[platt]

04:54 PM on 01/21/2012

#1644-I can tell you that I will be doing EVERYTHING in my power to educate those that don't understand what is really going on and EXACTLY what this President has done! OBAMA 2012! LET'S GO!

[rocketdog56]

05:09 PM on 01/21/2012

TY, back atcha.

[Dr Scott]

02:15 PM on 01/21/2012

Shhh! Geez, Mike! We're keeping that under our hats. For all the stupid outrage that citizens expressed over the first black president, which is why the Republicans won the House in 2010, the Republicans haven't done anything to improve their situation. They still want to go back to more of the same things that got us in trouble in the first place.
I know that Obama will win reelection. But it will be extra nice if the Republicans lose the House, too! Ah, the sweet sound of Republicans wailing and tearing their clothes! I'm so excited!

[yauxeybalba]

01:48 PM on 01/21/2012

It would be a grand thing if they made it, BUT they had it before and blew it. The Republicans have done us a lot of harm, but the blue dogs like Nelson, Lieberman and Co. were playing for the other team and blocking everything as well until they got their pounds of pork. Have to clean house first.

[Contact MyBKTeam]

01:57 PM on 01/21/2012

The American people blew it by sitting home in 2010

[yauxeybalba]

02:10 PM on 01/21/2012

They really blew it by going to the polls in 2000 and 2004!

[sammi 56]

02:57 PM on 01/21/2012

Right--they are worse than they repubs --traitors.....

[nothingchanges]

01:40 PM on 01/21/2012

We live in a country that prides itself on being a "representative" form of government.

IMPO............the Republican party, overwhelmingly represents the interests of the 1%.

Logically then, they should have 1% of the seats in Congress.

If there were a party that actually represented the other 99% of us.............maybe they would.

Unfortunately, the system by which we finance our elections, is, behind all the euphemisms government by bribery.

Until that changes, we will likely get the government we deserve, not the one we want.

The 1% GOT WHAT THEY PAID FOR, the government, and now apparently, the Judiciary of the United States of America. They have used that, to their own advantage, and now have so much relative power, that the rest of us combined, pooling ALL of our limited resources, can no longer compete to buy it back.

We have the votes, THEY have the money........................they're winning.

What does that say about us?

[Steve Davis 1]

01:53 PM on 01/21/2012

What is most unrepresentative is the power of the minority in the Senate. Money does bias everything in both House and Senate, but the least populous states have two Senators. Our party leaders insist on an unconstitutional filibuster on all Senate legislation; it is simply a total corruption of the founder's intent to compromise the interest of big states and small states. All political alliances in our times are partisan, regional interests are rarely evident.

[sammi 56]

02:58 PM on 01/21/2012

If every Democrat in this country sent in 5 bucks that would help.

[nothingchanges]

03:11 PM on 01/21/2012

Aye.............and there's the rub.

For all the complaining we 99%ers do about our "lack of representation in Government"
its a very very small percentage of us that actually donate to political campaigns.

Far less, it turns out, than 1%.

http://www.opensecrets.org/overview/donordemographics.php

Perhaps we REALLY are getting the government...............we deserve.

[Bodie1]

01:21 PM on 01/21/2012

Moderates are flipping back to Obama in droves. This election will be a slam dunk for him and the Dems.

[thoreau2004]

10:54 PM on 01/21/2012

From your mouth.......

[worldinmieyes]

12:31 PM on 01/21/2012

Could lose the house? Should Lose the House! They have done nothing for the majority and held steadfast for their wealthy lobbyist friends. The republican war against the middle class started well before they won the house with them blocking every measure put forth to assist the middle class during these difficult times all while pressing for measure to increase the wealth of those that put our nation in this position to begin with.

[platt]

04:59 PM on 01/21/2012

They continue to claim that there are 30 Bills sitting in the Senate to be brought to the floor. What they fail to do is explain to the American People what the majority of those bills are about. It's very easy to say they're "job creating" bills, but much more difficult for them to explain HOW they're "job creating" bills! OBAMA 2012!

[sackman]

11:33 AM on 01/21/2012

Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goobye.............. I fell a surge in the pole........ Obama 2012......

[Sammmo]

11:26 AM on 01/21/2012

Mr. Steele, the democrats will win those seats and more BECAUSE the republicans have accomplished not one darn thing for the country..and WE, the people, know that............

[sammi 56]

03:01 PM on 01/21/2012

They have done everything thing known to man to make our President look like a fool. And he is still standing. so that, makes them the fools!

[nypapajoe]

10:54 AM on 01/21/2012

The Republicans have lost their souls in pandering to the old mighty corporate dollar and the Baggers who are being financed by the same! Americans have seen and experienced first hand the corporate might that have devastated the middle class, families and our infrastructure! We pay our taxes while the wealthiest avoid by theirs but still manage to get corporate welfare to operate in foreign lands! Where is the justice in any of this? The people have left the Republican Party on principle because the party have failed those of us that still fairness and equality and against corruption and greed, which congress seems to be riddled with!