This morning, during an interview with Alisyn Camerota on CNN’s New Day, DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján highlighted what Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s own pollster has confirmed: that the current Republican presidential frontrunners, Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz, will harm House Republicans’ chances down ballot in 2016.
When asked about the state of the Democratic presidential nomination contest, Luján noted that while Secretary Clinton, Senator Sanders and Governor O’Malley are highlighting their contrasts on policies that help improve Americans’ lives, the Republican contest has been marked by hateful rhetoric and a clamor to see who can “scare voters more” and “beat each other up more.”
Asked about whether he is seeing a down-ticket “Donald Trump effect” and whether there’s a grassroots mobilization and galvanization of support for House Democratic because of Trump, Luján said:
“I’ll answer that question Alisyn, the way that a pollster who Speaker Paul Ryan and Republicans hired to answer that question for them. The pollster said that Donald Trump would have a horrific impact on Republicans down-ballot. And when Paul Ryan asked the pollster who would be worse – Ted Cruz or Donald Trump –then they went on to say Ted Cruz would be even worse than Donald Trump.
Pressed if there is evidence of this impact on down-ballot races, Luján stated:
“Absolutely. You are seeing, across the country, more and more voters pay attention, getting galvanized, and excitement across the country in places like New York, Virginia, Colorado and Nevada…
“As they [Trump and Cruz] try to compete with one another, see who can outdo one another, that is better for Democrats up and down the ballot and it is bad for House Republicans.”
When asked about the race between Secretary Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, Chairman Luján replied:
“As the electorate pays more attention, polls tighten, and that’s why it is important for our candidate to be on the ground talking about real ideas and real solutions. I think that’s the difference that you’re seeing between Democrats and Republicans, where at least Secretary Clinton, Governor O’Malley and Senator Sanders are talking about ideas and how to improve people’s lives, as opposed to the ugly rhetoric that we are seeing especially from Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.”
Watch the full CNN interview here.