North Dakota Democrats' legislative strength had been slowly eroding since the turn of the century. Until Tuesday.

Democratic candidates gained six Senate seats, defeating the Legislature's most senior lawmaker in the process. In the House, Democrats added seven lawmakers to their number, and knocked off the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

To be sure, Republicans still have a firm grip on both the House and Senate. But after Tuesday's balloting, GOP lawmakers no longer have the two-thirds advantage they had enjoyed in both chambers.

The elections left Republicans with 61 House seats to Democrats' 33. In the Senate, Republicans held 26 seats after Tuesday's results, compared to 21 Democratic seats.

Sen. David O'Connell, D-Lansford, the Senate minority leader, said the changes will lead to better policy debates in the Legislature.

"This is going to put more balance into government," O'Connell said.

Sen. Bob Stenehjem, R-Bismarck, the Senate majority leader, said it was baffling to lose so many GOP incumbents with a good North Dakota economy and a state budget surplus that is expected to exceed $500 million.

"It certainly wasn't a very good year nationally for Republicans," Stenehjem said. "Nationally, they're not necessarily happy with the president, and I think a lot of Republicans stayed home."

During the 2001 Legislature, the first of the new century, Democrats had 17 Senate seats and 29 House seats. Redistricting cut the number of legislative districts from 49 to 47, and Democratic numbers fell in both chambers for the next two sessions.

In percentage terms, Tuesday's results left Senate Democrats with the most influence they've had since the 1993 Legislature, the last session in which they were in the majority. They have 21 of the chamber's 47 seats, or 45 percent of the total.

House Democrats now hold 35 percent of the chamber's seats, the highest percentage they've controlled in eight years.

One of the Republican losses Tuesday was Sen. Duane Mutch, R-Larimore, who lost to Democrat Arthur Behm, of Niagara, by nine votes in unofficial returns. Behm received 1,624 votes to Mutch's 1,615. The margin is close enough that Mutch could request a recount if he chose.

Mutch, 81, has served almost continuously in the Senate since he was elected in 1958, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president. He missed the 1977 session after narrowly losing an election, but returned two years later. He has served during 23 legislative sessions.

Another casualty was the House's most senior member, Rep. Mike Timm, R-Minot, the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Timm trailed Democratic incumbent Woody Thorpe, 2,412 to 2,166, for the second and final House seat in Minot's District 5.

Timm was first elected to the House in 1972. He served continuously until the 1986 elections, when he was defeated in a bid for the state Senate. Timm was elected again to the House two years later, and has been in the Legislature since then.