Republicans ask: Just how bad is it?

Politico.com, 11/17/8

Party leaders agree that the GOP has had a rough go of it at the polls in recent years.

How could they not?

Since 2004, Republicans have gone from 55 Senate seats to no more than 43 once this year’s last winners are determined, and from a 29-seat edge in the House to a 30 seat hole. And now they’ve lost the presidency, too.

They differ, though, on whether the heavy losses Republicans suffered in the past two election cycles were a result of unique circumstances and the ever-swinging political pendulum or structural problems that could keep them shut out of power for years to come.