Election 08: Tennessee one of top 10 'battleground legislatures'

The 2008 elections are about more than the White House and Congress. With 13 states nationally facing new critical budget shortfalls -- including four in the South -- the battle for state legislatures will be intense this November.

The National Conference of State Legislatures released its list yesterday of the top 10 battleground statehouses in 2008. Making the cut is the Tennessee Senate, where Democrats and Republicans currently each hold 16 seats along with one independent. Five to six races could swing the chamber either way.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal notes one especially long-term consequence of this election, one that Facing South has reported on before -- redistricting:

[T]his year's elections will also impact party control of both chambers through 2020: State senators elected to four-year terms in November will likely be in office and voting on the next round of legislative and congressional redistricting following the 2010 federal census.