ustxtxb_obs_2008_10_17_50_00017-00000_000.pdf

A B C D E F G H 1 J L ,.. –1;:, .A4 , AMARILLO ,:l. ‘ kiA” … ‘ LUBBOCK ,`,4 gr.:7;s WOOR;TO0 DALLAS ES’ ”’.4 . ‘ ” ,–5:1;4:,.4;. V . etNso MIDLAND, AUSTI .,. HOU 41, TON BE 1 .. SAN ANTONIO ‘…0s 0=0s 5:13WA . a :.30.1t a t , 4,144 g; b #F10,1 441. I. mor gi w g ,,,L CH ISTI CORPUS ..sp: a.:, ,:i% .!`; ‘ ;1411:41.4!: k9 t .., . ….., ‘-*. 1 HOUSE CALLS The dozen races that will determine who controls the Texas House. Shaded areas represent Texas House districts likely to see competitive races in the November election. district 17: H7 I district 32: H9 I district 47: G6 I district 52: H6 I district 78: A5 I district 85: E4 I district 96: H4 district 102: H4 I district 107: H4 I district 133: 17 I district 144: J7 I district 149:17 e LEANING DEM 63 LEANING GOP TOSS UP The Republican advantage in the 150-member Texas House of Representatives has shrunk to five seats. That qualifies as a thin majority, especially considering that the GOP held a 26-seat edge just five years ago. Texas Democrats have made retaking the House and ending the speakership of Midland’s Tom Craddick a top priority this year. Many political analysts think it’s a long shot, though not impossible. Democrats picked up six seats two years ago, and this year they have Barack Obama at the top of the ticket. In May, the Observer profiled the 15 most competitive races that will likely determine which party controls the contested House races stand a month before the November 4 election. You can find our past coverage of these races and other key political campaigns at our Web site, MM. texasobservenorg. compiled by Dave Mann, Melissa del Bosque, and Forrest Wilder OCTOBER 17, 2008 THE TEXAS OBSERVER 17