NRCC: Palin May Deliver "several" Seats To GOP

The head of the GOP effort to hold back the Democrats in the House, thinks Sarah Palin will help him win “several” seats for Republicans in an otherwise dismal looking year.

National Republican Campaign Committee chief Tom Cole (R-OK) says Palin will give a big boost to three Republicans facing close contests in suburban districts with a high proportion of middle-class mothers:

--Minnesota state rep Erik Laurson, who faces a tough fight against Democrat Terri Bonoff in the suburbanTwin Cities district vacated by retiring Republican Jim Ramstad.

--Texas challenger Mike Olson, who is trying to wrest Tom Delay’s old Sugarland district from Democratic incumbent Nick Lampson.

--Embattled suburban Seattle Republican Dave Reichert who faces a major challenge from Microsoft exec Darcy Burner, who lost by less than 8,000 votes two years ago.

Cole, a military history buff, likened McCain’s move to Gen. McArthur’s surprise attack on Inchon during the Korean War. “This is the political equivalent of Inchon!” he enthused. “McCain hit the Democrats exactly where they didn’t expect to be hit... The women in my office were high-fiving each other!”

(Helpful Historical Note: After Inchon, McCarthur was nearly wiped out by the Chinese army and was sacked by Harry Truman.)