Trump's Campaign Has Democrats Looking At Retaking House
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – Could Donald Trump doom the GOP to such a huge landslide defeat that San Francisco's Nancy Pelosi becomes Speaker of the House again? While it remains a longshot, Democrats think it's moving into the realm of the possible.
Democrats need to capture 30 Republican seats, and hold all their own, to regain control of the House of Representatives.
Longtime Democratic strategist Mark Gersh, who was chief of staff for longtime San Francisco Congressman Phil Burton., has drafted a memo on how to do it.
Gersh told KCBS the Democrats are certain to win at least half the seats they need, and 30 is no longer a pipe dream.
"In two words, what's happened to change everything is Donald Trump," Gersh said. "There are districts where his unpopularity, and frankly the revulsion some people feel toward him…put things into play."
That includes five districts in California, where Republicans are vulnerable because of growing Latino and Asian populations.
Sonoma State political scientist David McCuan says the Democrats would need to win them all and put a lot of money behind underfunded challengers.
"If Nancy Pelosi wants to return as Speaker of the House, really the avenue to do that is through the Golden State," McCuan told KCBS.
Top Republicans are worried enough that they're talking about diverting all the party's resources to trying to hold their Congressional majorities.
