Dem lawmaker: Shutdown would raise chances we win control of the House

A government shutdown would increase the likelihood that House Democrats retake the majority, according to a Democratic lawmaker.
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Virginia Democratic Rep. Jim Moran told The Hill that a shutdown “would help the Democrats’ chances,” with the caveat that he thinks “it’s an uphill climb to take back the majority control of the House in 2014.” 

{mosads}Democrats would have to pick up 17 seats during the 2014 midterm elections to reclaim the Speaker’s gavel.

The veteran politician noted that Republicans are favored to retain control because of redistricting that occurred after the 2010 Census.

“The majority of the Republican House is there as a result of off-year elections. … If we didn’t have the gerrymandering, if we had a larger turnout, the composition of the House and the Senate might be a bit different, but at this point we have to deal with a Republican majority of the House,” Moran said in an interview Thursday. 



Recent polling shows that a majority of Americans would blame Republicans for a potential government shutdown.



Moran worries about the next fiscal showdown that would likely occur in November, when Congress would need to pass another measure to avoid government shutdown while tackling an increase in the nation’s $16.7 trillion debt limit. 



”I don’t think there will be a government shutdown on Oct. 1, but I think the chances, as a result, increase that there will be a government shutdown on Nov. 15 because we don’t have a plan in place to extend the continuing resolution after Nov. 15 and solve the debt ceiling as well,” Moran said. 



Moran, an outspoken critic of the sequestration cuts that have taken effect this year, said that Congress must find a way to eradicate the sequester. His district includes many government workers and contractors.