Unplugged: Republicans "Gaining Traction" For 2010?

Republican Strategist Matt Mackowiac said on 'Washington Unplugged' Thursday that his party is "gaining traction" heading into the 2010 midterm congressional elections even though "we have been a little bit side tracked by some personal scandals and certainly by this nonsense Birther movement."

"The midterm elections are going to be a referendum on Obama and the Democratic Congress and I think public opinion is trending in the direction of Republicans right now," Mackowiac argued.

Asked why, the Republican said it is because "you are seeing Democrats overreach on climate change and health care."

Roll Call's Stu Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report, said members of the G.O.P. have improved public opinion about their ability to handle taxes and the deficit.

With the House of Representatives poised to leave for summer recess tomorrow without a vote on health care legislation, Mackowiac defended Republican members.

Democrats "have a big majority in the House," he noted. "They have sixty votes in the Senate and Democrats are not working with Republicans to incorporate their ideas."

Turning to local elections, Rothenberg said that he does not see the gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia as referenda on President Obama.

He argued that the New Jersey race is Republican candidate Chris Christie's to lose. New Jersey "is part of the northeast that Republicans have lost forever," Rothenberg said. "We have been told and we find out that forever turned out to be a little shorter than we thought."

Watch the full conversation above.