Barring more upsets of incumbents, that leaves little room for a big swing to either side. While House Speaker Pete Laney, D-Hale Center, is likely to remain in power , the Senate is up for grabs . If Bush wins the presidency , then Lt. Gov. Rick Perry, a fellow Republican, will become governor . A majority of the Senate, only 16 votes, will decide who presides over that body until the 2002 election. Bill Miller, a political consultant, said any advantage, however small, is crucial.
Leverage is everything.
On the other hand, the Senate is likely to continue its tradition of requiring 21 votes to consider legislation. That means 11 senators can kill a bill . A Republican governor will sign or veto any bill on state lines. A stalemate is resolved by the Legislative Redistricting Board, a five-member board now with four statewide GOP officials. Even if the Democrats elect one of their own to preside over the Senate in the wake of a Bush victory, that leaves the Republicans with a 3-2 advantage.