House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing back against polls showing Democrats with an advantage heading into the November midterm elections, insisting that surveys are failing to capture Republican enthusiasm and that the GOP remains in a position to compete for control of the House of Representatives.

Appearing Tuesday on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” the Louisiana Republican challenged the growing assessment among political analysts that Democrats are positioned to win a House majority. Johnson argued that polling organizations are underestimating Republican support and that his firsthand experiences campaigning across competitive congressional districts tell a different story.

During the interview, co-host Dana Perino invited Johnson to explain why he remains confident despite the unfavorable polling numbers.

“I’m going to give you a shot here to respond to some political analysts who say the House is gone, that the Dems are definitely going to be in the majority,” Perino said. “You disagree. You say that you can defy those odds. Here’s — you have the floor. How so?”

Johnson responded by describing his extensive campaign schedule and expressing confidence that Republican voters are more energized than national surveys suggest.

“Yes, thank you, Dana. Good to be with you. We’re excited. I’m in Texas today. We will do three events here, and then I will head — I think I have got eight states this week. I have been doing this for almost two years, and I’m telling you, the polling is wrong. Now, you have a lot of polling organizations right now acknowledging that they’re undersampling Republicans, because Republicans don’t want to respond to polls anymore.”

The speaker pointed to what he described as a longstanding pattern of Republican candidates performing better on Election Day than surveys conducted in the final weeks of a campaign had indicated.

“So, CNN did a story, Dana, just this week and acknowledged that Republicans have been underestimated in October polls 14 of the last 16 elections going back to 1994,” he continued. “Don’t buy it. I’m telling you, I’m on the ground in the swing districts. I am seeing huge energy in crowds. It feels like 2024 to me. That’s not registering in the polls, and we’re fired up.”

Johnson’s remarks come as several national surveys show Democrats maintaining an advantage in the contest for control of Congress. A NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ poll released Tuesday found Democrats leading Republicans by seven percentage points on the generic congressional ballot, 49 percent to 42 percent, with 8 percent undecided.

The survey, conducted October 5 through October 9 among 974 likely voters, also found President Trump with a 38 percent approval rating and 60 percent disapproval. Inflation, employment and the broader economy ranked among voters’ leading concerns.

Johnson’s argument about polling accuracy reflects a broader debate among political analysts. Surveys in several recent elections have underestimated Republican support, including in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Pollsters have since adjusted their methods, including how they account for voters who are less likely to participate in surveys, although uncertainty remains about whether those changes will fully address earlier errors.

Republicans are also relying on campaign fundraising and voter mobilization efforts in competitive districts. During his Fox News appearance, Johnson discussed the party’s fundraising operation, which he said had brought in $156 million during the election cycle, along with his extensive travel schedule to support Republican candidates.

The speaker’s optimism comes as Republican-aligned political organizations make difficult decisions about where to direct their resources. Recent reporting indicates that some groups have shifted spending away from several closely contested districts in states including Iowa, New Jersey, Ohio and Michigan, concentrating instead on other races they believe remain competitive.

Democrats, meanwhile, have expanded their fundraising and campaign efforts in districts that were previously considered less vulnerable to a Democratic challenge.

The GOP currently holds a narrow House majority, meaning Democrats would need a net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber. The relatively small number of competitive districts has made candidate recruitment, campaign spending and turnout particularly important to both parties.

Johnson has repeatedly argued that Republican voters are more motivated than polling data suggests, pointing to the crowds he has encountered while campaigning and comparing the atmosphere to President Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign.

The competing assessments will be tested on November 3, when voters determine which party controls the House for the next two years.

{Matzav.com}