While some state Senate candidates can relax – nine are unopposed both in the August primary and the general, and a few others are facing only token opposition in districts that are safe for their parties – other would-be legislators have tough races ahead of them. 

Legislative Republicans who for years have trumpeted their support of money in politics are now looking for ways to curtail some spending after a tsunami of out-of-state Democratic dollars failed to result in the electoral take over Democrats sought.

Several key races in the state House remain too close to call with the first batch of Election-Day ballots counted, though Democrats, as has been the trend for the last week, are leading in early votes.

Republicans maintain a roughly 5,000-voter advantage. Surmountable, sure, but the outcome is hardly set in stone. They say they believe they are better prepared than they were in 2018, when the Democrats surged to a 29-31 split in the House, propelled by voters activated by education and the Red for Ed movement.