Sen. Charles Schumer Says Focus on Middle Class Will Propel Dems to November Victory - East Idaho News
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Sen. Charles Schumer Says Focus on Middle Class Will Propel Dems to November Victory

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Getty P 071411 SenCharlesSchumer?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1346987643113Win McNamee/Getty Images(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) — New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer says that the Democratic Party’s focus on the middle class will result in victory up and down the ticket in the November election, but that it was up to President Obama to “seal that deal” Thursday night during his speech at the Democratic National Convention.

ABC News’ senior political correspondent Jonathan Karl interviewed Schumer on ABC News/Yahoo News’ DNC show in Charlotte, N.C. Thursday evening.

“Middle-class people, I think they realize that [Mitt] Romney is not for them because of his narrowness, but they want to make sure that Barack Obama is focused on them with things that will make a difference,” said Schumer, D-N.Y. “They know he tried, but they also know that it didn’t do as well as [Obama or his supporters] would have liked. Some of that is because of obstructionism among Republicans, but they want to make sure that it isn’t simply because he doesn’t have good ideas for the future.”

Schumer predicted that Obama will defeat Mitt Romney “by more than people think” this fall.

“I’d say at least two percent [on the popular vote]. More than people think,” Schumer predicted. “Electorally, he’ll do better than the popular vote because where he’ll go down in the popular vote is the anger at him in the red states.”

Asked whether he sees Democrats losing any seats in the Senate, the New York Democrat was bullish, predicting that there will not be a shift in the balance of the upper chamber, where Democrats currently hold a 53-47 seat advantage over Republicans.

“We’re going to keep about 53 seats,” Schumer said. “We’re doing so much better in places that people never imagined. Nevada, North Dakota, New Mexico, Montana, Missouri. It’s going much better than we ever imagined.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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