By Adam O'Neal - July 23, 2014

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer told reporters Wednesday afternoon that Democrats could win a majority of Arkansas' four House seats this November. He also suggested that the party stands a good chance of winning the gubernatorial contest as well.

“Arkansas is an example where we have zero members right now, and I think we have a possibility of picking up three seats,” the 17-term congressman said. “I think it’s going to be the perfect storm for the Republicans on our behalf.”

Hoyer described Heber Springs Mayor Jackie McPherson; former North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Henry Hays, and former FEMA Director James Lee Witt -- who are running in the 1st, 2nd and 4th congressional districts, respectively -- as “very, very talented candidates.”

He indicated that because of interest in the state from national Democratic groups -- among them, the Democratic Governors Association and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee -- “we can have extraordinarily good results.”

Arkansas has a history of supporting Democrats, though it has trended toward Republicans in recent years. (Mitt Romney beat President Obama by more than 20 points in 2012.)

Only one member of the state’s congressional delegation, Sen. Mark Pryor, is a Democrat, and he is considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the country. Republicans control both chambers of the state legislature, though outgoing Gov. Mike Beebe is a Democrat.

Hoyer said that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross “is Arkansas. If you were designing a candidate to run for governor of Arkansas, then you would design Mike Ross because he’s so grounded in Arkansas” and its values, politics, and culture.

He added that the DGA saw the state as a “big opportunity” and that the organization will be involved in the race “big time.” The RealClearPolitics polling average currently rates the race “leans GOP.”

Earlier this year, DGA Chairman Peter Shumlin told reporters he felt “optimistic” about Democratic chances in red states such as Georgia, South Carolina, Kansas, and Arizona.

As for the House, Hoyer declined to predict how Democrats would fare overall, but he said that winning 25 seats was a “realistic” goal, thanks in part to “a penchant of Republicans to self-destruct” during campaigns. (The RealClearPolitics “Battle for the House” map is decidedly less optimistic than the Maryland lawmaker, however.)

Hoyer also hinted that Witt, who headed FEMA under President Clinton, may be able to bring the 42nd president (and former Arkansas governor) to the Natural State to campaign.