Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez said the Republican Party had become so “extreme” that he believed Democrats would win the presidency, the Senate and get a bigger majority in the House.
Partial transcript as follows:
STEPHANOPOULOS: A lot of polls right now show several of the Democratic candidates pretty handily beating President Trump if the election were indeed to be held today. But a lot of Democrats are concerned that if you don’t win back the Senate, the agenda will be stalled even if Democrats take back the White House. We saw John Hickenlooper leave the presidential race, go run for Senate in Colorado. Should candidates like Beto O’Rourke, Steve Bullock consider doing that if their campaigns don’t take off soon?
PEREZ: Well that’ll be up to those candidates to decide what’s in their best interest. I’ll say this, I’m bullish about the Senate. I was in Colorado this week, I think we have a great chance there with a wide field of candidates. I’m very bullish on Mark Kelly in Arizona. We’ve got opportunities in North Carolina, where Tillis is underwater. In Maine we have a really good field of candidates and — and Senator Collins is exceedingly vulnerable. We’ve got opportunities in Iowa, in — in Montana and elsewhere. I’m — I’m very bullish. And the — the — the opportunity we have, George, in not only the Senate but the White House and — and in state houses across the country is that the Republican — the Republicans are so off to the extreme and the Democrats are fighting for the issues that people care about.
Healthcare is still the number one issue in America. If you have a preexisting condition, it’s Democrats who are on your side. Ninety percent of the American people want background checks and — and Moscow Mitch won’t do it. You — you look at all of the issues that matter. You know, 80 percent of the American people want to help DREAMers, but no, the Republicans won’t do it. They’ve become such an extreme party that I think we have opportunities in the Senate and in the House. The reason so many House members on the Republican side are — are retiring is because they understand that their party has become so extreme.
So I’m very optimistic not only about the White House but about the Senate and — and state houses and expanding Speaker Pelosi’s margins in the U.S. House.
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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