I want to make sure you saw this article that ran in the New York Times over the weekend: "G.O.P. Senses Opportunities in Statehouse Races."

The Republicans recognize that they have little hope for victory in many federal races, and they have now trained their sites on down ballot contests.

With just a week left before this election, the GOP has begun to pour unprecedented spending into state legislative targets.

Important states like Iowa, Maine, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Indiana, Nevada, and Ohio, are under attack.

If the GOP makes big gains this year, then they will have a significant advantage as we head into the 2010 election and the next round of redistricting.

If the GOP can control the redistricting process, they can redraw legislative lines to negate our victories in Congress and ensure that Republicans hold power in Washington once again.

We cannot let this happen.

The DLCC needs your help to protect our legislative majorities. Will you pledge to give $5 a day for the last week of this election to ensure that our Democratic lawmakers win on November 4th?

http://dlcc.org/action/contribute

In California, state law requires that the annual budget be passed by a majority of two-thirds of the lawmakers. Currently, the chamber margins are such that Democrats need the support of eight GOP lawmakers to meet the supermajority required.

Earlier this year, the Republican minority in the California Assembly was able to delay the passage of the budget for a record 85 days.

That scenario stands to change with this election:

Between Sept. 5 and Oct. 15, Democrats registered 215,000 voters, almost twice as many as Republicans, according to county voter registration data. In several Assembly districts held by Republicans, Democrats have nearly closed the gap or even surpassed Republican registration.

Democratic leaders in the state are confident that they will be able to make big gains in this year's legislative elections.

Two of their candidates -- Fran Florez in Assembly District 30 and Manual Perez in Assembly District 80 -- are on the list of the DLCC's 2008 Essential Races.