Report: Dems more worried than ever

Democrats are more worried than ever that this could be a bad, bad election year for them in the House of Representatives, Politico reports today.

"They are increasingly alarmed about the economic and polling data they have seen in recent weeks," according to the piece. "They no longer believe the jobs and housing markets will recover -- or that anything resembling the White House’s promise of a “recovery summer” is under way. They are even more concerned by indications that House Democrats once considered safe .... are in real trouble."

Republicans need to pick up 39 seats to grab control, and Politico quotes one unnamed Democratic pollster as saying: “The reality is that [the House majority] is probably gone.”

Who to blame? Partly President Barack Obama for moving the New York mosque issue to the front pages this summer, and for planning a White House speech next week on Iraq, and not jobs

Not everyone is pessimistic, with some Democrats, like Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the party's House campaign chairman, dismissing the fears as "inside-the-Beltway chatter."

Also in the Dems' favor: The mood is more upbeat in the field than in Washington. Democrats hold a money advantage in many key races, plus polls show voters are not enthusiastic about Republicans, either Politico was told.

But in another sign of possible gloom for Democrats, CQ Politics, one of the outlets that watches the political landscape closely, says it is moving more House races in its rating surveys "to reflect Republicans on the ascent."