Top Republican vows Trump won’t cost GOP the House

The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) says Donald Trump will not cost the GOP control of the House.

“We’re not going to lose the House. We see no evidence of that,” Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) told Politico in an interview published Friday. 

{mosads}“We’re not seeing down-ballot negative effect. We obviously know the competitive seats. But they’re all right side up. They’re all beating their opponents, some by pretty substantial margins. Even in district where our nominee is not doing well and Hillary [Clinton] is, we’re still winning in the House seats.”

Walden said Trump is such a unique presidential nominee that down-ballot Republicans aren’t tied to him in voters’ minds.

“It’s sort of uncharted territory,” he said. “But we are seeing more public data than private that says it’s a lot harder to tag a Republican to Trump than it is to tag a Democrat to Hillary.”

Walden noted that Trump is “clearly his own brand,” noting that the last two GOP presidents and the party’s last presidential nominee all don’t back him.

He said Republicans are not letting their guard down on even the safest of House races, however.

“Do we worry about it?” he asked. “Of course, because I always worry. I hear footsteps until I’m in the end zone. [It’s] because the Democrats are raising a lot of money, both for the House and presidentially.

“I would say, generally, everybody is focused on the presidential race, clearly, that’s on the top of mind everywhere you go. But, as I go around, our House members remain in good shape.”

The GOP’s 247 seats in the House represent the party’s largest majority there since before the Great Depression.

Democrats, however, believe they can chip away at that total by linking vulnerable Republicans to Trump. They need at least 30 seats to retake the House.