Congressman Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, says the November 2010 midterm elections will be difficult, but anyone who believes Republicans will wrest majority control of the House of Representatives is living in "la la land."

The midterm elections will be viewed by many as a referendum on the policies of Democratic President Barack Obama.

"It is going to be a very volatile, political environment," Van Hollen said at the Reuters Washington Summit.

He pointed out that since the days of President Abraham Lincoln, only twice has a new president's party picked up seats in the first midterm election -- in 1934 (when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president) and 2002 (when George W. Bush was president).

"So other than those two times, the president's party has lost seats and the average losses are fairly dramatic," averaging about 35 seats, Van Hollen said.

Right now there are 256 Democrats and 177 Republicans, and two vacancies in the 435-member U.S. House of Representatives.

"So we told our members to be prepared, no one's going to be surprised," Van Hollen said.

"I would say that anyone who thinks this is going to be a 1994 redux is in la la land. The Democrats are not going to lose control of the House," he said.

In the midterm elections in 1994, when Democratic President Bill Clinton was in the White House, Republicans gained seats and won control of both the House and Senate for the first time in 40 years.

Van Hollen engaged in a little name-calling, saying the Republican Party these days was "the party of pessimism" and "the party of no" that did not want to be part of the solution to America's problems.

For more Reuters Washington Summit news click here

Photo credit: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst (Congressman Chris Van Hollen at Reuters Washington Summit)

WASHINGTON - Democrats seem well positioned to increase their control of the U.S. Congress and win the White House in the November elections. But with such success will come pressure.  

Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York says his victorious party would have to quickly resolve concerns of the American people — ranging from bringing down record gas prices and expanding health care to resolving the housing crisis and withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

“If we get in 2009 and we don’t solve people’s problems, they will kick us out as quickly as they put us in,” Schumer, head of the Senate Democratic campaign committee, told reporters on Wednesday.

“So the big challenge, bigger than the election, is actually getting things done,” Schumer said.

Schumer quickly added, however, with Barack Obama in the White House and “an increase in Democratic seats in the House and Senate, I’m optimistic we can do it.”

“People are demanding change, and I think you will see one of the most productive sessions (of Congress ever) if we pick up a good number of seats in the House and Senate,” Schumer said.

When Democrats won control of the White House in 1992, they already had control of the House of Representatives and Senate but soon lost both chambers in the 1994 mid-term election.

Schumer and Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who heads the House Democratic campaign committee, cited public opinion polls and advantages in fundraising in predicting Democrats would increase their majorities in the House and Senate.

They declined to predict by how much, however. Democrats, who won control of Congress from Republicans in the 2006 elections, now hold the House, 236-199, and the Senate, 51-49. 

Republicans have 23 seats in the Senate to defend versus 12 for Democrats. In the House, more than two dozen Republicans have decided to retire or seek other office and Democrats have already picked up three seats in special elections this year in Republican districts.

“We expect to pickup a significant number of seats,” said Schumer. Van Hollen added, “Things are very positive.”

Both said they expect Obama, who polls show with a slight lead over White House rival Republican John McCain, to help congressional Democrats on Election Day.  

Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.

- Photo credit: Larry Downing (Schumer grabs a break to exercise)