Republican National committee Chairman Reince Priebus, in his most strongly worded prediction to date, said Tuesday that November will bring a "tsunami-type election" victory for his party.
Priebus predicted "a very big win, especially at the U.S. Senate," and said the party "will add more at the congressional level."
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In response to a query from Newsmax, Priebus also defended national party rules that permit the RNC to become involved in a contested primary, which has caused some anger among grassroots GOP activists in several states.
At a Washington, D.C., press breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, Priebus said when it comes to issues that will help the party in Senate races, "We have a lot going for us."
Priebus cited Obamacare, calling it "poisonous" and saying the "toxicity" of the issue was helping Republicans with groups the party has not done well with in recent election cycles.
"Single women over 35 who are working are hurt by the loss of their doctors," Priebus said. He added that the cost of acquiring health insurance under the Affordable Care Act "was intentionally designed to [hurt] young people, 35 and under."
Priebus predicted the Republican Party would see "its greatest increase" among young people and single women this November.
Agreeing with many Republicans that the party must offer a positive vision in the midterm elections, Priebus noted that in GOP victories in the recent San Diego mayoral race and the special election for Congress in Florida's 13th District, Republican candidates "did offer a positive vision."
Democrats currently control the Senate with 55 seats to 45 for Republicans. Priebus said the problems with Obamacare are of particular help to Republican candidates in states where Democratic senators are retiring, including South Dakota and West Virginia.
The healthcare issue is also working on behalf of Republican challengers to Democratic senators seeking re-election in states Obama lost to Mitt Romney in 2012 such as Alaska, Arkansas, and Louisiana, Priebus asserted.
The party chairman recently declared: "Where [Democratic senators] are sinking … we're extending our activities — in Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, and Michigan."
State and national party leaders have hailed the recent entrance of Rep. Cory Gardner into the race against Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall and the likelihood of a run by former Massachusetts senator and newly minted New Hampshire resident Scott Brown against Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
Some of the Republican candidates already running for Senate nominations in the two states have denounced pre-primary involvement by state party leaders as unfair interference in the nomination process.
Where should the RNC draw the line, Newsmax asked, on neutrality in nomination fights and the recruitment of strong contenders?
"I could go either way," Priebus said. "But we don't get involved in primaries unless a Rule 11 letter is signed."
Under party rules, he explained, a Rule 11 letter must be signed by the three voting members of the RNC from a state to permit involvement in a nomination fight before a primary.
"In Wisconsin in 2010, [the state party convention] endorsed Scott Walker for governor and he faced a primary with Mark Neumann, a former congressman," Priebus said, recalling he was state chairman at the time.
"The two RNC members and I signed a Rule 11 letter and direct national party support for Walker came before the primary," Priebus said.
Defending the role of the party in recruiting strong candidates, he said that "sometimes we urge more than one candidate we think is strong to consider a race. There's nothing wrong with that."
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John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax.
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