Dems see 2018 as best chance in years to win back House

House Democrats are heading into 2018 feeling the wind at their backs and sensing their best chance in years to retake the lower chamber.

Midterm elections for first-term presidents are typically grim for the party in control of the White House. And with President Trump’s approval rating hovering in the 30s — an historic low in the modern era — the Democrats are increasingly optimistic they can mine the White House turmoil to energize their base, attract disheartened Republicans and pick up the 25 seats they'll need to win back the Speaker's gavel after eight years in the minority.

The Republicans scored a huge win this month with the passage of their tax-code overhaul — a victory Trump and GOP leaders maintain will lend them momentum heading into the new year.

But the GOP has struggled on other legislative fronts, and where the Republicans see their tax win as a renewal of strength, the Democrats sense desperation. On the day after the tax vote, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.) suggested the Republicans were forced to race the bill to the finish line this year because they know they're in trouble next November. “They’re acting like people who know that their power is short-lived,” Pelosi said as Congress was leaving town.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/366249-dems-see-2018-as-best-chance-in-years-to-win-back-house?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=12805