Democrats Warn GOP Could Take the House

House Minority Leader John Boehner and his GOP team aren't the only ones referring to him as "Speaker Boehner." Now progressive Democrats are warning that he could replace Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi if something isn't done fast to shore up the faltering party.

"Two words scare me more than anything else. They are 'Speaker Boehner!' Don't laugh—it most certainly could happen," warns 21st Century Democrats Chairman Jim Scheibel in an E-mail to supporters. [See which industries give the most to Boehner.]

Sure, his is a fundraising bid employing political scare tactics but it's also one of the first from the Democrats to really play up what polls are showing: That the House could switch majority parties in the fall elections.

Scheibel says, "With the American public totally dissatisfied with Congress and believing the country is heading in the wrong direction - the upcoming elections aren't looking good for Democrats plain and simple." He blames conservative media and the Tea Party movement for the grim outlook for Democrats. "After months and months of negative press coming from the far right, Tea Party activists have convinced some Americans that we need a wholesale change this November. That would mean we end up with Speaker John Boehner! I can't imagine how far backwards our country would go if that would happen."

His group is influential in the progressive world, helping train candidates and staff how to win elections. "We focus particular attention to training field organizers and building the farm team of Democratic leaders who can move up to higher office at every level and who represent the tradition of Democrats like Jim Hightower, Tom Harkin, Barbara Boxer, Raul Grijalva, John Lewis, Al Gore, and Paul Wellstone," says the group's site.

Here's the fundraising plea he just sent out.

• See a gallery of political caricatures.
• See which industries give the most to Congress.
• See a slide show of the 10 keys to an Obama comeback.

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