Despite being in the minority and coming up against a wildly popular Democratic president, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Wednesday that his party is off to “a good start” this year.

“Americans like the president. They want him to succeed. That’s why his numbers are where they are,— Boehner said. “Having said that, the things they’re doing are becoming increasingly unpopular.—

Boehner, speaking to a group of reporters, pointed to concerns with Obama’s budget, which Boehner said is “even more audacious than anything I could have ever dreamed of.— In addition, he said, Democrats’ cap-and-trade energy proposals essentially say, “If you have the audacity to turn on a light switch, you’re going to pay a higher cost.—

Even if they are unable to keep Democrats from advancing key legislation, Boehner said Republicans will continue to pitch their alternatives for stimulating the economy and improving the housing market.

“We need to contrast our better solutions with what they’re offering. That clearly will not be difficult to do,— he said.

In terms of recruiting Republicans to run in competitive districts, Boehner suggested there would be numerous candidates. Boehner said he is meeting with one “very interested— candidate today and that another candidate with strong name recognition sought him out last week.

The Minority Leader dismissed questions about the recent sparring between conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele over who is the leader of the party.

The idea that the two are fighting for control of the GOP is “a huge distraction created by the White House to divert people’s attention from what they’re really doing in the budget,— he said. “The White House started this. I was in the room … going back to the day after the inaugural. … It just kind of escalated from there.—