John Cornyn: We Can't Let 2014 Be About Republicans

WASHINGTON -- Most politicians in Washington realize that the political parties are not popular, with the Republicans faring even worse than the Democrats.

But it's still somewhat startling to hear a Republican who is up for reelection next year admit his party shouldn't make the contests about Republicans, as Texas Sen. John Cornyn did in a brief interview Thursday.

Cornyn was explaining how Democratic plans to push an increase in the minimum wage, unemployment benefits and other initiatives aimed at addressing growing income inequality wouldn't work. He said that the GOP would continue to target President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, and deflect attention from their own failings.

"We gotta limit our mistakes. We're not perfect either," Cornyn said, referring in particular to the failed attempt to defund Obamacare by shutting down the government, as well as the poor Senate campaigns in 2012 by right-wing candidates such as Richard Mourdock in Indiana and Rep. Todd Akin in Missouri.

"I think I'd say just generically, we don't need to make this election about us," Cornyn said. "We need to keep the focus on the president's failed policies."