Washington (CNN) -- In what are either last-minute head games or reflections on a shifting electorate, Democrats are predicting better-than-expected results for their side while Republicans are downplaying the extent of their expected victory in Tuesday's congressional elections.
With less than 48 hours before polling booths open, the comments on Sunday talk shows stayed true to the anticipated Republican gains in both chambers of Congress but continued to differ widely on exact totals.
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was unwilling to project over-confidence, telling CNN's "State of the Union" program that even coming close to the 39 additional seats needed to win back majority control of the House would equal GOP success.
"If we get 39 seats and take the majority, that's success. If we get 37 seats, that's success," Steele said.
He noted that Republicans were considered damaged goods after Democrats won control of both congressional chambers and the White House in 2008, so to have come back all the way to a potential return to power on Tuesday was gratifying.
Still, Steele tried to sound modest in his expectations.
CNN
