Republican pollster Frank Luntz said the GOP is heading toward a “potential political disaster” in the November midterm elections.

Speaking to The Associated Press, Luntz said that while President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE energizes his party’s base, he anticipates Trump’s distractions and rhetoric could deter swing voters in battleground elections in House districts.

“This is political malpractice,” Luntz told the news agency in a report published on Wednesday.

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“You can’t find me a time in modern times when the economy was this strong and the governing party was headed toward a potential political disaster like this,” he continued.

The Republican pollster’s remarks come as his party holds a narrow lead in a hotly contested special election in Ohio that took place on Tuesday, though the race has yet to be called while provisional ballots are counted.

The Republican candidate, Troy Balderson, and Trump both claimed victory nonetheless in a district the president previously won in 2016 and has been in GOP hands since 1983.

Republicans had expected to win the district’s special election easily, but found themselves up against a high level of Democratic enthusiasm ahead of the midterms.

Republicans hope to maintain control of the House in November, but most political analysts say Democrats are likely to take over the House.