RNC chair: ‘We’re going to defy history to win this November’

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Joe Gruters on Tuesday said the GOP is “going to defy history to” maintain control of Congress after the midterms.

Gruters told NewsNation host Blake Burman on “The Hill” that Republicans have better candidates, more resources and “a financial advantage” to “win these seats.”

“Get ready because we’re going state by state, district to district, and we’re going to make sure we push our candidates over the victory line, and we’re going to defy history to win this November,” he added.

When the president’s party controls Congress going into the midterms, the opposing party typically claims the majority as a referendum on the president. Republicans and President Trump, however, hope to keep GOP control and pass his legislative agenda.

Gruters noted the GOP has the “best showman that’s ever existed” in Trump, who will “anchor” both nights of the first-ever RNC midterm convention , which kicks off Wednesday afternoon in Dallas. The RNC chair has been among those promoting the event, describing it as a “ Trump-a-palooza ,” with dozens of administration officials set to speak, including Vice President Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“This is our way to get our message directly to the American people about all the great things that this administration has done and all the things that we want to continue to do,” Gruters added.

The nonpartisan election analyst Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) earlier this week shifted its November forecast for the Senate to “ a pure toss-up ” for the first time since early June. DDHQ predicts Democrats will retake control of the House, pegging the likelihood of the outcome at 67 percent as of Tuesday.

Some Republicans feel mixed about the event , citing concerns about the cost, timing and potential political risk of being so closely associated with Trump just less than eight weeks from the midterms.

Some former GOP lawmakers have said the focus on the president and his actions, including posting online about renaming geographical locations such as Lake Ontario and New Mexico , could hurt Republican chances of maintaining control of Congress.

“I mean, all these sorts of things that are completely irrelevant to Americans’ lives and, frankly, they think it’s bizarre, just renaming states and lakes and the Gulf,” former Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) told MS NOW on Monday, referring to the Gulf of Mexico.

He continued, “So again, a distraction, but these are not helping the president or his party.”