RNC chair predicts GOP wins in Alaska, Texas, 3 other battlegrounds

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Joe Gruters remained optimistic Friday evening about his party’s chances in next week’s midterms, predicting big wins in key battleground states despite troubling polling numbers for the GOP.

Gruters told NewsNation’s Blake Burman he expects Republicans will win Senate races in Maine , Texas , Ohio and Alaska — all of which The Hill’s nonpartisan election forecasting partner, Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), lean “narrowly” toward Democrats. He also predicted a GOP victory in North Carolina , which the handicapper says will “likely” go blue.

Burman pressed the RNC chair on generic ballot polling that displayed a disadvantage for Republicans running this election cycle. An Emerson College Polling survey released Friday found Democrats held a 10-point lead over Republicans on a generic ballot.

“We put up candidates that can win and common-sense mainstream candidates, and I think that will make the difference,” Gruters told Burman. “So yes, maybe the generic ballot, we’re not doing so hot, but when it comes to candidates that are well known and they’re getting their message out, yes, we do have the benefit.”

DDHQ places the Democrats’ chances of regaining control of the House this November at 82 percent, according to a Friday forecast . The party has a slimmer chance at retaking the upper chamber of Congress, with the nonpartisan election handicapper placing this probability at around 62 percent.

The RNC chair also addressed President Trump’s reversal on his decision to cancel two rallies set for this weekend in Iowa and Kansas. The president announced Friday the events were back on and will both be held in person on Sunday.

“Listen, all these decisions are being made in real time,” Gruters said. “I mean, we’re looking at data, looking at where we may need to help certain candidates and people, and so there may be some more changes.”

Gruters also weighed in on Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s (R) response to reports that Democratic nominee Mary Peltola’s campaign was involved in an effort to recruit a candidate in the state’s Senate race with the same name as incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R).

When asked by Burman whether the RNC would seek to stall the certification of this election if Peltola was successful, Gruters said he would “follow the governor’s lead.”

“We’ll see [where] that investigation ends up, but we’re going to be ready to help any way we can,” he said.

On Friday, the top federal prosecutor in Alaska announced his office was involved in a separate investigation into whether any laws were broken in this alleged spoiler candidate effort. Peltola and her campaign have denied any involvement in the candidate’s recruitment.