Rep. Pete Sessions, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said he expects Republicans will pick up a net of five to seven House seats in November.
Speaking at a National Journal/Atlantic/CBS News event at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Sessions said Republicans put the necessary work in last year to defend new members who were swept into office in 2010 and have built an aggressive plan to maintain those gains. “I believe we will win a net of five to seven new seats across this country because we are playing offense not trying to protect what we have,” Sessions said.
With regards to the Senate, which is currently held in Democratic control with a 53 to 47 split, Rob Jesmer, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee said “we have a real great shot” of winning control of the chamber. But Jesmer acknowledged Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., is unlikely to win Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill’s seat after making comments about “legitimate” rape.
Jesmer added, “We just hit a bump in the road in Missouri, but we feel that is offset, by Connecticut, moving in the right direction, Ohio, moving in the right direction, Michigan moving in the right direction, and so we feel we have a really good shot of winning.”
