Another 2008 battleground to keep your eyes on.  From the Nashville City Paper:

In the 99-member House, Democrats have a 53-46 majority versus Republicans, an advantage they’ve enjoyed since the 2004 elections. The GOP needs to win four seats to capture their first majority in the House since Reconstruction.

In the 33-member Senate, Republicans and Democrats each have 16 members with one Independent, but the GOP has operational control of the chamber because of Senate Speaker and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville). Either party could gain a clear majority this election cycle.

Despite 16 Senate seats on the ballot this fall and all 99 House seats, there will likely only be about 10 to 20 that could conceivably change from Republican to Democrat or vice versa.

Ed Cromer, the editor of the non-partisan political newsletter Tennessee Journal, said Republicans aren’t likely to pick up four seats in the House to gain a majority while Democrats in the Senate are on the defensive because of the seats in play in 2008.

“It’s advantage Democrats in the House, advantage Republicans in the Senate,” Cromer said. “But it’s close enough in both houses that either party could come out ahead.”

Both parties see the distant — and important — political horizon. Whoever has the majority in the House or Senate controls that body’s redistricting pen when the district lines are redrawn following the 2010 elections.

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