From The Hill:

A cycle after the Democrats went all out to stretch the map to new lengths, Republicans are doing their best imitation. The GOP is attempting to go after a number of seats it hasn't pursued in decades, along with others that have gone by the wayside in recent cycles.

The hyper-aggressive strategy stems from “an environment shift” politically. The Hill stresses that, “the magnitude of the change in the environment” means the GOP is now landing better candidate. The “environment” is never defined, but readers can assume it's referring to a downturn for Democrats.

But as John Amato at Crooks & Liars recently noted, while the press seems completely tuned into polling data that might reflect poorly on Obama and Democrats, the same press seems utterly disinterested in GOP polling results that are worse.

Wrote Amato [emphasis added]:

Mitch McConnell is polling at an 18% approval rating. That's eighteen percent. John Boehner is polling at 12% approval rating. Just think about that one. And it doesn't take much to make him cry. Mitch and Boehner are viewed less favorably than Dick Cheney was during the dark days of the Bush administration. Why don't we hear about that on teevee? The overall approval ratings of Congressional Republicans is 17% as a party!

I have no doubt the RNC is expanding its list of targeted Democrats. But in reporting the strategy, news outlets such as The Hill ought to acknowledge that the GOP itself faces a very difficult “environment.”