Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGOP strategist donates to Alabama Democrat McConnell names Senate GOP tax conferees Brent Budowsky: A plea to Alabama voters MORE (R-Ky.) has been privately saying that Republicans could lose both the House and Senate in the 2018 elections, according to a Politico report.
Politico reported Thursday that McConnell has been sharing the concerns privately as GOP leaders worry about losing control of Congress in the midterms.
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel also presented a report to chief of staff John Kelly
John Francis KellyMORE showing how the GOP had lost favor with female voters, according to Politico.
And Speaker Paul Ryan
Paul Davis RyanMcConnell names Senate GOP tax conferees House Republican: 'I worry about both sides' of the aisle on DACA Overnight Health Care: 3.6M signed up for ObamaCare in first month | Ryan pledges 'entitlement reform' next year | Dems push for more money to fight opioids MORE (R-Wis.) has also told donors that he’s afraid that GOP lawmakers in swing districts could retire, opening up key House seats to Democrats.
A string of Republican lawmakers have already announced their retirements, and the GOP only holds a one-seat majority in the Senate following Sen.-elect Doug Jones' upset win in Alabama.
White House political director Bill Stepien told the Politico that while presidents tend to lose congressional seats in their party during their first term, he and other GOP leaders hope strong economic numbers and the newly-passed tax reform legislation could help Republicans.
Trump also reportedly plans to aggressively campaign for Republicans across the country in 2018.