From Kentucky.com:

These districts in Texas and Ohio are among 55 that the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has deemed “essential.” The group has committed to spending $20 million on races that will have the greatest impact on redistricting.

Republicans are pouring money into key statehouse races, as well. The Republican State Leadership Committee is running a $20 million initiative called REDMAP – it stands for Redistricting Majority Project. “To control the process – or at least have a seat at the table – winning, defending and increasing state legislative majorities must be a priority,” its website says.

If the 2010 election turns out to be a historic landslide for Republicans at the statehouse and gubernatorial levels, Storey says that the GOP could unilaterally control the drawing of some 165 U.S. House seats compared with only about 30 for Democrats. The rest of the seats would be in states with redistricting commissions or with divided partisan control.

History is not on the Democrats’ side. Going back to 1900, the party of the president lost seats in state legislatures in every midterm except 1934 and 2002, according to NCSL. In the 25 other midterm election years, the party holding the White House lost, on average, 495 state legislative seats. Although the Democrats have gained seats in each of the past three elections, that winning streak will be tough to continue this year.

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