John Sununu: Trump Thinking 'Emotionally' on 'Red Wave' Talk

Republicans likely will win elections around the nation, but probably not by as much as they would want, former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu said Monday, while adding he thinks President Donald Trump is thinking emotionally when he says there will be a "red wave."

"There is no question that 2016 showed us that modern elections in our country are unpredictable, and I think this one is as unpredictable as any," Sununu told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "The special elections in recent times have shaken Republican confidence a bit. I suspect they will win [Tuesday], but probably not by as much as they would want."

Meanwhile, he disagreed Republicans will win by large margins.

"There is a difference between what you see statistically and what you see emotionally," Sununu said. "I think [Trump] is right emotionally, but he may not be right statistically."

There are challenges on both sides of the aisle, Sununu said, pointing out New Jersey is a "blue, blue, blue state," but incumbent Rep. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., is getting a real race from his Republican challenger, Celgene Corp. CEO Bob Hugin.

"You have in California, the Democrats are realizing they have to redirect national funds into races they thought they had locked up as slam dunks," he added. "This is going to be a wild 2018."

One crucial race is in Ohio, where the 12th District special election, located on the outskirts of state capital Columbus, will determine if the district's U.S. House seat will continue to be held by a Republican, as it has for decades.

Ohio State Sen. Troy Balderson, a Republican, is squaring off against Democratic challenger Danny O'Connor, the 31-year-old Franklin County recorder.

Trump won the district by 11 percentage points in 2016, but if O'Connor takes the district, that could be the "shockwave" that shakes the complacency out of Republicans, Sununu said.

"Special elections are difficult for both parties," he said. "I think the Republican will win, but by single digits, not double digits."

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