How Donald Trump and Ben Carson could hand Democrats the House

Presidential candidates Ben Carson (L) and Donald Trump.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 4 November 2015

Democrats might be thanking Donald Trump and Ben Carson come 2016. While retaking 30 seats to win back the House of Representatives from Republicans certainly would not be an easy feat, Trump and Carson — who, as Politico puts it, "happen to be the two candidates almost perfectly designed to turn off voters" — could help Democrats gain the edge they need.

Politico breaks it down:

The nation's increasing political polarization suggests Republicans would largely unify behind their standard-bearer. But Carson, through his highly conservative rhetoric on culture war issues, and Trump, through his anti-immigrant stances and lack of traditional political polish, could really hurt Republicans in the affluent suburbs, which just so happens to be where future Democratic House majorities are almost certain to be made.Carson and Trump, through their lack of experience and long histories of overheated rhetoric, could easily turn off some of the voters who might have otherwise happily supported someone like Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio but don't think Carson and Trump pass the smell test as a potential president. [Politico]

Certainly the stars would have to align for this to happen. In fact, Politico reports that the odds are "just a couple ticks greater than zero." Nonetheless, the possibility exists.