From JSOnline.com:

Republicans and Democrats are mounting high-stakes campaigns for the Legislature that could determine the future of state elections for the decade to come.

If the GOP can take back the state Senate or Assembly this fall, that party will get a much larger role in drawing the boundaries of legislative districts that will stand for the next 10 years and exert a powerful influence on future elections. With an eye on that prize, the national Republican State Leadership Committee says the Wisconsin Senate is one of four legislative chambers that the GOP is counting on picking up around the country.

“There’s no question. It’s very rare that you see as much at stake as there is in the 2010 election,” state Republican Party executive director Mark Jefferson said. “We’re very cognizant on this side that we need to take back at least one house of the Legislature.”

Buoyed by the shifting national mood and a large class of candidates, Republicans say they could take control of both legislative houses from Democrats with a message of smaller government and job creation.

Democrats say they have the record on health care, education and jobs – and the campaign cash – to hang on to their slim majorities.

The Democrats control the Senate 18-15, meaning that Republicans would have to take two seats to win control there. In the Assembly, Democrats controlled the body 51-46 with two independents before two lawmakers stepped down to become judges, meaning that Republicans would need to win four new seats to take back the chamber outright. The Republican State Leadership Committee, which seeks to elect GOP candidates to state offices, also identifies the Wisconsin Assembly as one of 12 state legislative chambers that their party could potentially pick up nationally.

Read the Rest…