The Hill News

Republican campaign efforts are running at a “stronger” pace than they were in 1994, a top GOP lawmaker said Tuesday. 

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the chief deputy whip who also heads up recruitment for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), said the party’s standing was stronger now in 2010 than it was at the same point in 1994.

“If you take every measurement, from the latest polling to the Gallup poll to the recruitment itself, the strength is actually stronger today than it was in 1994. At this point in 1994, Republicans were behind six points in the Gallup,” McCarthy said during the “Washington Unplugged” webcast by CBS News.

McCarthy’s confidence comes amidst a flurry of predictions by lawmakers in both parties about this fall’s elections. House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) suggested on Monday that Republicans would win back the House, while Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who leads Democrats’ House campaign committee, pointedly said his party would retain a majority of seats. Republicans need to win 39 Democratic-held seats to secure a majority in Congress next year.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) meanwhile suggested Tuesday that Democrats would keep their majority despite a number of seats being “in play,” a situation which led White House press secretary Robert Gibbs to suggest there was “no doubt” that Republicans are a threat to win back the House. 

“He could be raising expectations a little, but he’s also seeing what’s out there,” McCarthy said in reaction to Gibbs. 

McCarthy said that strong recruitment and a mounting number of retirements earlier this year had primed the field for GOP success this fall. 

“There’s a lot of indicators out there that the House is actually in play,” he said, adding later, “I think we can take control.”