Thu Oct 7, 5:11 pm ET
Democratic strategist Plouffe: ‘You’re looking at ideal Republican turnout’
By Rachel Rose Hartman
Democratic strategist David Plouffe didn't mince words during a press briefing Thursday on the 2010 elections."In most states, you're looking at ideal Republican turnout," Plouffe, Barack Obama's 2008 campaign manager, told a room of reporters gathered at Democratic National Committee headquarters. While the party in power traditionally suffers in the midterm election, Plouffe says the conditions are especially favorable to Republicans this year.
Plouffe concedes that he underestimated the tea party, originally believing that candidates such as Rand Paul in Kentucky and Sharron Angle in Nevada were "unique to those states." But, Plouffe said, he soon realized they were part of a "national angle" Democrats would soon be forced to run against. "Some of them will win" in November, Plouffe said.
While these statements may seem awfully gloomy for a Democrat to be issuing about his own party's prospects, it's all part of the expectations game that both parties are beginning to play ahead of Election Day.
As Plouffe suggested, Democrats are aware that Republicans have the advantage Nov. 2, but Plouffe says the GOP will fall short of winning back the House, Senate and "every major governor's race," where Plouffe says he believes Republicans should set their bar.
"Having been around the block ... when you've got winds this strong in your favor, that's the kind of election you need to have — or it should be considered a colossal failure," Plouffe said.
Doug Heye, spokesman for the Republican National Committee, told The Upshot that Plouffe's statement demonstrates "the classic Democratic attitude that all things are determined by Washington."
"We're confident that we'll have big wins in November," Heye said.
One of the major differences between this cycle and any other is the emergence of tea party candidates. But Plouffe argues that Democrats stand to benefit from the tea party in November and for years to come.
Just last week in Ohio, for example, Plouffe says a number of people approached him and said: "I'm involved now because I don't like what's happening in the Republican Party."
Plouffe believes that if Republicans do not make the enormous electoral gains they'd hoped for, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and others on the right are not going to say, "Well, it's because we weren't moderate." Instead, they'll say, "We need more true conservatives," according to Plouffe. He suggests that this will only increase Democratic enthusiasm in the years ahead.
(Photo of David Plouffe: AP/Charles Rex Arbogast)
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