Local Republicans gaining momentum toward November

Posted: Sep 6, 2010 6:22 PM by Ariel Wesler
Updated: Sep 6, 2010 8:46 PM

A new national poll shows Republicans are gaining momentum in that battle for Congress.

The opinion research corporation survey shows the G.O.P leads the Democrats by seven points on the "generic ballot" question...-- 52 percent to 45-percent. That's up from a three-point margin last month.

The "generic ballot" question asks participants if they'd vote for a Democrat or Republican in their congressional district, without naming any specific candidates.

Republican candidates were working hard this Labor Day in Santa Barbara--kicking off their campaign season. The Santa Barbara County Republicans hosted the event.

"We have a whole slate of Republican candidates from the top all the way down to our local candidates that have real world business experience and know how to create the jobs that people are looking for," said Gregory Gandrud, Chairman of the Santa Barbara County Republicans.

Congressional Candidate Tom Watson showed up to talk about the importance of this election. He says reducing deficit spending is key to creating jobs.

"No rational sane business person wants to hire people in an environment of unknowing raising costs," Watson said.

Analysts say what Democrats were hoping would be a summer of economic recovery hasn't turned out that way. Now, as the summer winds down, Republicans are looking forward to the fall, where hope to turn some of that frustration into momentum and regain control of Congress.>

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for grabs. If the republicans snag 39 of them, they will gain control. In the senate, voters will decide on 37 out of the 100 seats. Republicans must pickup 10 seats to hold the majority there.

"As long as we continue pursuing these policies of spending money that we don't have, antagonizing businesses, increasing the cost of doing business, things are not going to get any better and I think people intuitively understand that," Watson said.

This time, Republicans hope voters will see the winds of change blowing in their direction.

History could play a role in this election as well. Since World War II, every time a party has lost the house, it's also lost the senate.