IA: King predicts GOP unlikely to win back the House this fall

In an interview with the Carroll Daily Times Herald, U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, repeated his prediction that Republicans are unlikely to be in control of the U.S. House after the Nov. 2 elections.

King predicted the Republicans would come up three to five seats short of overtaking the Democrats in the House. Democrats currently hold at 253-178 advantage.

From Butch Heman of the Times Herald:

“Unless we come forward with a definitive program that will tell the American people what we will do in say the first hundred days, then I don’t think we win the majority,“ he said. “If we make it clear and the people agree, then I think we win the majority. I’m convinced that there are over a hundred seats in play, but in play is a lot different than winning.”

King says Republican candidates need a concise message and that he agrees with most of the “Contract From America” priorities being pushed by tea-party groups, such as demanding a balanced budget, ending runaway government spending, stopping tax hikes and rejecting the “cap and trade” approach to emissions control.

“For me, item number one has got to be the repeal of Obamacare,” he said. “If we can’t get that done, if we can’t agree that’s what we want to do, then I don’t think we can make the case for the rest of the things that need to happen either.”

King has been one of the most outspoken critics of health care reform legislation that passed earlier this year. When his fellow Republicans began wavering on whether complete repeal of the legislation was a viable strategy, King said the party would either “stand unanimously together for 100 percent repeal… or our ranks will be split and our effort defeated.” He also said the legislation was incompatible with freedom.

(Photo: Flickr Creative Commons/republicanconference)