Reading Eagle (August 24, 1944)
GOP chief encouraged
Republicans believed party will win control of Congress
By John L. Cutter
Washington (UP) –
Republican National Chairman Herbert Brownell Jr. returned to his New York headquarters today encouraged after conferences with GOP Congressional leaders that the party will win control of Congress as well as the White House in the November elections.
Brownell received progress reports from both the Senate and House Republican campaign committees in conferences yesterday afternoon and last night. He took back with him plans for coordinating the Congressional and Senate campaigns with efforts of the national committee on behalf of the presidential candidacy of Governor Thomas E. Dewey.
While here, Brownell announced the appointment of Godfrey Hammond of Scarsdale, New York, well-known magazine publisher, as publicity director for the Dewey-Bricker campaign.
Voting trend observed
The Republican claims for victory, both in the presidential contest and for Congress, were based to a great extent on the trend of voting since President Roosevelt won his unprecedented third term in 1940.
Brownell told a press conference that the trend, which gave Republicans many new seats in both the House and Senate as well as several more state governors in 1942, is still with the Republican Party.
He predicted:
When Governor Dewey and Governor Bricker begin their speaking campaign in the near future that trend will be accelerated.
He referred to Dewey’s speeches scheduled at Philadelphia Sept. 7 and Louisville, Kentucky, Sept. 8 and Bricker’s speech at French Lick, Indiana, Sept. 9. He refused to confirm that Dewey will swing to the West Coast after his Louisville appearance.
Trends cited
Former Senator John G. Townsend Jr. of Delaware, chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, also cited “trends” in his report to Brownell at yesterday’s luncheon.
Townsend told reporters he had informed Brownell that a careful survey of all states in which there are senatorial contests this fall indicates that “we have a fighting chance of winning control of the Senate.” He was certain the party would win House control.
Townsend predicted the election of Republicans in all states where the Republicans now hold a Senate seat. He declined to name the states in which he believed the Republicans will unseat Democratic incumbents.