From Stateline:

The bright spots for Republicans on Election Day were Montana, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Republicans took over the state senates — which had both been evenly divided — in Oklahoma and Tennessee. They took over the Montana Senate and Tennessee House, which had previously been in Democratic hands, and tied up the previously Democratic Montana House. All three states have Democratic governors.

Republicans also noted they cut into Democratic majorities in the North Carolina Senate and the New Hampshire House and fended off Democratic efforts to take over the chambers in Arizona, North Dakota and South Dakota.

“We saw in 2006 and 2008 that our candidates were successful by keeping their campaigns focused on local issues… (They) are running on what they’re going to do and what they’ve done, not by labeling” their opponents, said Carrie Cantrell, spokeswoman for the Republican State Leadership Committee.

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