The White House said Monday that a sex scandal on Capitol Hill “hasn’t been a lift” to Republican candidates, but insisted the GOP would retain control of Congress next month.
“We certainly look forward to working with a Republican House and Senate,” White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said in response to questions from The Examiner.
But a new Gallup poll shows voters favoring Democrats over Republicans by 23 percentage points in the November elections. Less than four weeks ago, the same poll showed the parties dead even.
Snow acknowledged that Republican prospects have suffered because of the scandal over former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., who abruptly resigned last month. Foley is accused of sending salacious computer messages to underage male congressional pages.
“So, yes, it’s pretty clear that the Foley story has had an impact on public opinion,” Snow said. “It certainly hasn’t been a lift.”
He added: “But whether it is going to have an impact on the elections is something the voters will have to decide.”
Snow said President Bush is aware of the bleak poll numbers, but does not feel he is a drag on fellow Republicans on next month’s ballot.
Snow reiterated White House support for embattled House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., who has been accused by Democrats of not aggressively taking action in the Foley scandal. Bush will appear with Hastert at a campaign event on Thursday, while Snow will stump for him during the weekend.
“The message is that we’re standing by the speaker,” Snow explained.
Meanwhile, Hastert continued to fight back by holding his second press conference in less than a week.
“I didn’t think anybody at any time in my office did anything wrong,” he told reporters. “If anybody’s found to have hidden information or covered up information, they really should be gone.”
That did not satisfy Democrats.
“The speaker’s fishy explanations, hair-splitting spin and blanket denials about the Republican cover-up of the Foley scandal arefurther proof that you cannot trust the Republican leadership,” said Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton.
The latest polls, which show Republicans in trouble, were taken at the height of the Foley scandal last week and do not reflect an event that has partly eclipsed the scandal North Korea’s claim of an underground nuclear test on Monday.
White House officials seemed relieved at the change of topic.
“Let me put it this way,” Snow said. “We’re perfectly happy to have national security be front and center in this election, period.”
