Republican chair admits tough 'political times'

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1308441

Republican chair admits tough 'political times'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top U.S. Republicans, stung by election defeats last week, acknowledged political problems on Sunday but rejected predictions that Democrats would win back control of the U.S. Congress next year.

"There is no question we're in difficult political times," Republican Party Chairman Ken Mehlman told NBC's "Meet the Press."

But Mehlman said Congress and the nation would make progress in coming months on a host of fronts — from the Iraq war to energy independence to reducing the federal deficit — that should put them in a better position in 2006 when all 435 House of Representative seats and 33 of the 100 Senate seats will be up for election, as well as 36 governorships.

"All of these are priorities, all of these are reforms," Mehlman said. "And I'm confident that next year, we're going to maintain our majorities in the House and Senate."