As the early jostling for control of the state Legislature gets under way, Democrats are filling out their candidate slates in Republican-rich western North Dakota, and Republicans are looking to these races to help maintain their majorities in both houses.

Democrats' specific aim is the state Senate, where Republicans hold a 26-21 edge.

In District 34, which covers Mandan, a trifecta of Democratic Bobcat workers with labor ties will be challenging the Republican incumbents.

Arnold Zins, 47, is seeking the state Senate post. Zins is a toolmaker and member of the North Dakota National Guard. He also is vice president of the North Dakota AFL-CIO.

Joining him on the ticket for House seats are Rob Tausend, 37, and Brent Veil, 38.

Tausend is a laser operator at Bobcat. Veil is a shear operator there.

The trio will face off against Republican incumbents Sen. Dwight Cook, Rep. RaeAnn Kelsch and Rep. Todd Porter. All three announced their intent to seek re-election in January.

In 2004, Cook won re-election with 64 percent of the vote, while Kelsch and Porter got a combined 78 percent of the vote, making them the two House members over one Democratic challenger.

To the west, in District 36 around the Dickinson area, Republicans are defending an open Senate seat after the retirement of Sen. Herb Urlacher of Taylor, who's been in the Senate since 1993. They have nominated George Nodland, a retired banker from Stark County to run for the Senate.

The House side is a bit more up in the air. Rep. C.B. Haas, R-Taylor and former Rep. Frank Klein, R-Dickinson, received their party's nomination but have yet to accept it.

Republican Party Executive Director Mike Schatz said Haas and Klein have a week to decide. If they decline, the party will hold another nominating convention on April 6.

In 2004, Urlacher won with 56 percent of the vote, while the Republican House candidates carried 50 percent of the vote to the Democrats' 48 percent, resulting in a split decision of Haas and Rep. Shirley Meyer, D-Dickinson.

Democrats this year have nominated Meyer, who beat Klein in the 2004 election by a slim 123 votes. They also nominated Chuck Andrus, a retired business owner from South Heart, to vie for the open Senate seat and Todd Hall, a rancher from Dunn County, to challenge either Haas or another Republican for the House.

Hall beat out Patrick Healy of Dickinson for the nomination at a convention this past weekend.

Finally, in District 8 - a sprawling rural district that covers Northeast Bismarck and sweeps up through McLean County - Democrats have a full slate of candidates.

Audrey Boe Olsen of Turtle Lake will be seeking a House seat. She's joined by Senate candidate Wes Weible and House candidate Ken Baker.

Weible is a Turtle Lake area farmer who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 2004. Baker is a Coleharbor area heavy equipment operator and unsuccessful House candidate in 2004.

They will be running against incumbent Republicans Sen. Layton Freborg, Rep. Jeff Delzer and Rep. Dwight Wrangham.

In 2004, Freborg beat Weible with 60 percent of the vote. Delzer and Wrangham got a combined 60 percent of the vote, versus 40 percent for the two Democratic candidates.

(Reach reporter Jonathan Rivoli at 223-8482 or jonathan.rivoli@bismarcktribune.com.)