Former Obama Press Secretary-turned CNN contributor Jay Carney said that there is "no question" it will be a "good year for Republicans and a bad year for Democrats."
"The Democratic candidates have to thread this needle very carefully," Carney said. "It is true that when you have an unpopular president of your party, you don't want to be associated with him."
Carney acknowledged that a number of candidates are jumping the Obama ship and going to great lengths to distance themselves from the president, but warned them against "going too far."
"Look, it's not a good dynamic for Democrats out there," Carney said. "The goal has to be, in this cycle, to run local and state races and not have their races be nationalized. Because if they're nationalized, they're going to be hurt by the overall perception of president Obama right now."
