Not Over Yet for GOP

President Bush's historically low public approval ratings, the depressing news from Iraq, and internal GOP squabbles over issues like immigration reform still don't have leaders and their political advisers worried about losing the majority in the House or Senate in the midterm elections. Top aides and strategists say that while the Republicans could lose a handful of House and Senate seats, they should remain in the majority. "It's a bit scary, but we don't think we'll lose control," says one strategist. Another says that in House races, most members should win re-election based on local issues and projects the lawmakers can cite for which they brought home federal funding. "Those aren't national elections this year," says the Republican political adviser, adding that the Democrats so far have failed to make the midterms a national election like Republicans did in 1994. The Republican advisers also say that the GOP should maintain control of the Senate, although about half of the four troubled races could go Democratic. Of the Senate re-election bids by Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum, Montana's Conrad Burns, Missouri's Jim Talent, and Ohio's Mike DeWine, the insiders expect only Burns and Talent to win.

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