Can the GOP Buck History in the House?  By Richard S. Dunham
White House political director Ken Mehlman likes to to point out
that, on average, a President's party loses 30 House seats in a
midterm election. What's more, it has lost seats in 32 of 34
off-year elections since the Civil War.  However, Mehlman isn't
worried that the GOP is facing a debacle on Nov. 5. He's
reciting those statistics in anticipation of George W. Bush
bucking all historical precedents. Even if the Republicans fail
to capture the Senate, the White House is prepared to declare
victory if the party breaks with tradition and retains control
of the lower chamber, where it now holds a 223-210 advantage,
with one Independent. "If we keep the House -- and only keep the
House -- that's a huge accomplishment because we are supposed to
be drubbed," the senior Bush aide declares.  Mehlman has
convinced lots of political pundits that he's right. The
conventional wisdom holds that the Democrats have no chance of
recapturing the House. The reasons