Defying the Death Watchers

[Geee]

American Spectator:

"Bring out yer dead!"

 

The left spent the last two years shouting the famous Monty Python line at the Tea Party, determined to infect the movement with cadaverous gloom. By mid-2011 the press had started a death watch. "Tea Party's heyday could be nearing end," warned the Hill. "Tea Party movement looks stalled," exhorted ABC News.

 

A poll by CBS/New York Times (and when are they ever not reliable?) alleged that Tea Partiers were less popular than Democrats, Muslims, and atheists. Also Stalinists, Imperial Stormtroopers, and the Jersey Shore cast. Loony Tea Party ideas, declared serious people with pale faces wearing suits, had finally been stopped -- and in the nick of time.

 

But despite the death knells, Republicans in the House of Representatives, swelled by Tea Party legislators who flooded Congress in 2010, are poised to keep their majority this year.

And the margin may be wide. Real Clear Politics counts 195 seats as safe Republican, compared to 154 as safe Democrat. Throw in likely and leaning seats, and Republicans keep the lead 226-183. That leaves 26 toss-up races. And while twice as many toss-ups are for incumbent Republicans than Democrats, Democrats could win every toss-up and still not control the House.