Asked Tuesday about the possible Republican takeover of the Senate in the November midterms, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney rejected the premise.  

“The Democratic Party is not going to lose the Senate, in our view,” Carney said in response to a question from Ed Henry of Fox News about the potential impact on the president if Democrats lose control.  

Carney’s confidence isn’t necessarily all that surprising, but the declaration comes as Senate Republicans have grown increasingly confident about their prospects. Facing a map tilted toward the GOP, Senate Democrats can lose no more than five seats net to retain control.  

Henry earlier asked whether the president shared the concerns of other Democrats that some are focused too much on 2016 instead of on the midterm elections.  

“This is not a campaign briefing,” Carney said.