Republicans optimistic at Legislature because of more candidates

By: Associated Press | WNCT
Published: March 03, 2008

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Their numbers in the General Assembly might suggest that Republicans don't have much to look forward to in November.

The GOP holds just 71 of the Legislature's 170 seats - the party's lowest total in a decade - after Democrats handily outspent Republicans to win nearly all of the competitive races in the 2006 election.

But another set of numbers gives GOP legislative leaders hope that things could change. The party recruited more candidates to run against Democrats than in the past two election years, helping to cut down on the overall number of House and Senate candidates who will run unopposed in November.

History is on the side of the Democrats. Republicans haven't held control of the House since 1998 and the Senate in more than 100 years. A more realistic goal for Republicans this year may be to narrow their gap heading into the 2010 elections. The party claiming a majority that year will win the power to redraw the state's legislative districts.