ABC "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" - Transcript: 2014 Elections
Interview
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RICHARDSON: Well, I'm disappointed in my party, in Democrats, the way they have been defensive about the president. I'd be talking positive. Voters want to hear positive messages, that Democratic candidates are strong. I'd be talking about unemployment going down, the health care plan working. I'd be talking about the war on ISIS. We've got a strategy of 60 countries supporting us. You know, I...
RADDATZ: But that doesn't seem to be working, talking about that, does it? Does it, Congressman Kinzinger.
KINZINGER: You look in 2006 -- I mean, obviously, you know, with the president -- and President Bush's unpopularity, Republicans lost both chambers, but, you know, the surge was being implemented. We saw the war in Iraq turn around at that time, but the president weighed as an anchor on the Republican Party. And I think that's happening now.
I mean -- the American people -- and when I'm out in my district talking to folks, they just...
RADDATZ: And you're on the ballot.
KINZINGER: Yeah, yeah. They just feel unsafe. I mean, you look at the expansion of the war in the Middle East, which I supported a year ago at this table. And the president just this summer came around to understand that this was a growing cancer. The Ebola crisis. There's all kinds of things that the American people just feel unsafe right now.
And I think, you know, with a senator it's -- you don't have as close of a connection as you do a member of the House, and so they tend to get this in essence painted by their president more than maybe a House member who can go out and have a local connection.
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RICHARDSON: Michelle Nunn.
So, I believe in New Mexico, I'm going to go way out on the limb and predict Attorney General Gary King beating Susana Martinez.
So, the Hispanic vote is a little down, because they didn't get the deportation issue -- easing of deportations, but they know President Obama has been strong on immigration reform. And, you know, I think the Republican Party -- and this is a Republican that I think is -- sees the big picture -- and George P. Bush said that. You know, they've got to go after the Hispanic vote. They're not doing well, because of their very harsh stance on immigration reform.
KINZINGER: Yeah, I agree that the Republican Party has to show -- or as Kristen was saying, as the governor saying over the next couple of years. That's going to be key to 2016.
The key I think to a week from now, turnout is going to be a big deal. You know, is the Democrat-base -- Democratic base motivated to turn out, or is it the Republican base? The Hispanic question is there.
You know, Bruce Rauner in Illinois, for instance, has a great turnout program, which we haven't seen in Illinois before. We've never been good as Republicans in Illinois at turning out. He's got a great program in place.
So, I think it's going to be an interesting election night. And I think it's going to be very positive for Republicans in Illinois and around the country.
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RICHARDSON: It will. It will in 2016. I'm worried about the turnout, about the base turning out now. That's my concern.
But I don't think we're going to do as badly as people predict. My view is, yes, we'll lose some seats in the House. I think we'll split governorships. In the Senate, I think it's going to end up being dead even, that's my view. And the vice president will break the tie. That's my...
RADDATZ: I want to go back to Hillary Clinton. And you saw Monica Lewinsky speaking this week and what she said. Will that make any difference if Hillary Clinton runs?
KINZINGER: I don't think so. I mean, look, I was -- I was a teenager, I think, when this whole thing was going down...
RADDATZ: I think you were about 16 maybe? I'm sure your parents were turning down the radio.
KINZINGER: I learned a little about -- yeah, they were.
No, but you know, so I don't think it's going to really have much of an impact. And I mean, it really hasn't had an impact on Bill Clinton, right, who was really the guy that led this -- but, you know, I think on 2016, by the way, I'd love to see Jeb. I'd love to see Chris Christie. I think Paul Ryan would be a great candidate. The one person I don't want to see is somebody like a Rand Paul who has put out budgets to cut the military in half. I think that would be devastating for our party right now.
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