For the Record

■ The pros are not all that gloomy about GOP prospects in the House in November. You can discount Republican National Chairman Richard Richards’s statement that the GOP may break even, but Democratic pollster Peter Hart figures the loss will be in the 15- to twenty-seat range (as against a usual off-year loss of 38 seats). . . . Clarke Reed, the canny Mississippi GOP state chairman, points out that “if a year ago we had thought the economy would be as bad as it is today, we would have thought we would be in terrible political trouble. So it is really remarkable how well the President is holding up.” . . . Christian Science Monitor’s Godfrey Sperling says 70 to 80 per cent of rank- and-file Republicans still back Reagan; four years ago, at midpoint in his term, Carter was only holding 40 per cent of his original Democratic backers. . . . Back in January Lou Harris polls showed Democrats with a 14-point lead over Republicans. Now it’s back down to nine points, which translates roughly into a GOP loss of 19 to 25 seats.

. . . Also good news for the President: recent polls show that nearly all the 44 Boll Weevil Democrats—mostly from the South—who provided margin of victory for last year’s budget and tax cuts —are running ahead in their Districts.

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■ The pros are not all that gloomy about GOP prospects in the House in November. You can discount Republican National Chairman Richard Richards’s statement that the GOP may break even, but Democratic pollster Peter Hart figures the loss will be in the 15- to twenty-seat range (as against a usual off-year loss of 38 seats). . . . Clarke Reed, the canny Mississippi GOP state chairman, points out that “if a year ago we had thought the economy would be as bad as it is today, we would have thought we would be in terrible political trouble. So it is really remarkable how well the President is holding up.” . . . Christian Science Monitor’s Godfrey Sperling says 70 to 80 per cent of rank- and-file Republicans still back Reagan; four years ago, at midpoint in his term, Carter was only holding 40 per cent of his original Democratic backers. . . . Back in January Lou Harris polls showed Democrats with a 14-point lead over Republicans. Now it’s back down to nine points, which translates roughly into a GOP loss of 19 to 25 seats.

. . . Also good news for the President: recent polls show that nearly all the 44 Boll Weevil Democrats—mostly from the South—who provided margin of victory for last year’s budget and tax cuts —are running ahead in their Districts.