COLUMBUS, Ind.--Republicans may take back the U.S. House this fall in the mid-term elections, say both U.S. Rep. Greg Pence, and Senator Todd Young. But, neither would say for certain that they believe Republicans will once again control the Senate. Both are running for re-election and were both at an event to highlight high gas prices put on Monday in Indianapolis, by Americans for Prosperity.
“I’m guardedly optimistic. I think if we stay focused on the issues most on Hoosiers’ minds, like the price of gas and the price of other essentials, we’ll win in November,” said Young, in an interview with IndyPolitics. “If instead we get distracted by the culture wars that we see the left focusing on, then it could be a tougher sledding.”
LINK: Interviews on IndyPolitics.org
Young was speaking of the Senate.
Democrats don’t necessarily see it that way. They’ve been highlighting recent drops in gas prices and some seeming drops in inflation, saying America is doing better while Democrats control Congress.
Some Democratic members of Congress have also been campaigning on the loss in many states, of easy access to abortion.
To Republicans, like Rep. Greg Pence, that’s not going to affect a return to control of the House.
“We’re gonna take back the House for sure. The Senate I’m not as sure about. But, the House is a done deal,” said Pence.
He believes that the president’s decision to forgive $10,000 of student debt for many people who have federal student loans will persuade more people to vote Republican. Pence, who said he paid for his college and his kids’ college and grad school believes Biden was wrong for at least two reasons.
“Congress had a hand in doing that,” he said of spending bills that resulted in PPP and other federal loans and subsidies during COVID. “This did not go through Congress.”
Biden said he believes the forgiveness will help give people an even footing, allowing them some financial wiggle room, possibly reducing their monthly payouts by a couple of hundred dollars. Pence said he believes the move is equal to the president handing out $10,000.
“This is grossly unfair,” he said. “I’m talking to people who joined the Army or the Indiana National Guard to pay for their school, and what about the people that didn’t go to college because they couldn’t afford it or didn’t want to do that. Are they getting $10,000, too?”
While some Democrats and political strategists have predicted the Republican victory in the House may not be as definitive as Pence believes because of the abortion issue, Pence, who represents parts of east Indiana, believes the federal student loan forgiveness will make for a “red wave” in November, not a red ripple.
