There are early signs of Republican strength in state-level races across the country, according to the national organization whose goal it is to elect more GOP officeholders in down-ballot contests.
“2014 will be a strong year for Republicans, building upon the momentum that has been growing on the state level since 2010,” Matt Walter, the executive director of the Republican State Leadership Committee, wrote in a memo to board members on Wednesday.
Walter writes in the memo, provided first to The Daily Caller, that “confidence at the state level is growing.”
“With positive momentum, a favorable and improving environment, and a comprehensive strategy to defend our past victories, we have many opportunities to gain ground this November,” he wrote.
The RSLC spends money in lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and state legislator races across the country. Aside from working to increase the number of GOP-controlled state legislatures, the group says it aims to build a bench of future leaders for the party.
Heading into the 2014 election, the group said Republicans control 59 of 99 legislative chambers, 29 of 45 lieutenant governors offices, 28 of 50 secretaries of state offices and 24 of 50 attorneys general offices.
The group maintains that they are on track for success, in part because of President Obama’s unpopularity. Target states this year include races in Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Florida and West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
“In addition, the President’s approval rating currently hovers around 41 percent,” the memo states. “History has shown that when the President’s approval rating is below 50 percent, his party suffers massive losses on the state level.”
The group is led by chairman Bill McCollum, who recently took over for Ed Gillespie (who left to run for the U.S. Senate in Virginia).
Read the memo here: