Priebus: We Can Win Senate, Even Pick Up Hawaii

by Todd Beamon and John Bachman NewsMax Friday, 07 Sep 2012 

Republicans will win back the Senate in the fall picking up seats in Wisconsin, North Dakota, Montana and Nebraska, the party's National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus predicts to Newmax.TV.

Ohio is another state that could very well fall to the GOP, he said.

But the icing on the cake would be a surprise win in President Barack Obama''s birthstate of Hawaii, he added.

“I know we write off Hawaii sometimes because we figure Obama has Hawaii," Priebus said. "But Linda Lingle is the one Republican out there who is more electable than any Republican or Democrat in Hawaii.”

The Republicans need to pick up three seats to take the Senate — four if Obama is re-elected president. Priebus said former Gov. Tommy Thompson is the most likely to win in Wisconsin against Democrat Rep. Tammy Baldwin.

"It’s an open seat. Tammy Baldwin is uber-liberal, she barely squares with Democrats in Madison let alone Wisconsin. So Tommy Thompson is great."

Reps. Rick Berg in North Dakota and Denny Rehberg in Montana are the two who could take the GOP over the top, Priebus predicted. Berg is running in an open contest against the state's Democratic attorney general Heidi Heitkamp, while Rehberg is taking on sitting Sen. Jon Tester.

Nebraska State Rep. Deb Fischer, who is running against former Sen. Bob Kerrey should also win, he said and Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel who is challenging sitting Sen. Sherrod Brown is next on Priebus' list.

But he has high hopes that former Gov. Lingle can pull off a surprise against Rep. Mazie Hirono in the Aloha State and put the Senate squarely in Republican hands. "She's doing very well out there, so keep that in mind," he said.

See also: Priebus: Obama and Democrats Living in Fantasy Land

Aug 20: Experts Unanimous: Hawaii Will Not Determine Control of US Senate