Following the trend on the federal level, Republicans scored impressive gains in several legislatures across the country and seized control in critical swing states where the party's majority was at stake.
Republicans claimed victory in Texas, where they had not controlled the House in 130 years, and Missouri, where a switch to the GOP in the House gave the party a majority in both legislative chambers for the first time in more than half a century.
"We made history," said Rep. Catherine Hanaway, who is likely to be nominated Wednesday as the first female Missouri House speaker. "We heard you throughout Missouri, that you're tired of promises and hungry for results. We have a majority that can govern."
Redistricting — the redrawing of boundaries following the 2000 census — and term limits in 11 states were the two key factors that reshaped contests for more than 6,000 lawmakers chosen Tuesday.
In Texas, the strong GOP showing was partly due to new districts that favored the Republicans. In Missouri, more than half the legislative seats were open because of term limits.
Though Democrat and Republican state lawmakers had been almost evenly divided in ranks going into the election, the GOP posted a much stronger showing on Tuesday, winning control of the senates in Wisconsin, Arizona and Colorado.
In addition, Republican state lawmakers increased their numbers in states including New Hampshire, Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
"It's a big night for the GOP," says Tim Storey, an elections analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures. "It appears that President Bush will break a historic trend of the president's party losing legislative seats in a midterm election."
Some of the victories are part of a long trend of Southern states steadily moving to the GOP column.
Though Storey says some Republicans benefited from coattail effects, GOP legislative candidates even did well in states, such as Michigan, which elected a Democratic governor.
Democrats had a few reasons to celebrate. One of their biggest victories came in Illinois, where the party recaptured the Senate for the first time in nearly a decade, gained strength in the House and broke a 25-year Republican lock on the governor's seat.
"Voters wanted change — working men and women, families across the state of Illinois," said Emil Jones, a Chicago Democrat, likely to be named Senate president when the new Legislature takes office in January.
Democrats also could take solace in fending off Republicans in the Oklahoma House, extending their majority to 53-48.
Oklahoma Republicans had even prepared a leadership manual called "Eighty Long Years" to guide them after the election — a reference to the fact the GOP had not had a House majority since 1922.
"I think they ran much more aggressive and better races than they did two years ago," said House Minority Leader Fred Morgan.
In North Carolina, Democrats retained control of the Senate despite a court-drawn redistricting map that favored Republicans. Power in the state House remained unclear; neither party had claimed the 61 seats needed for a majority.
Even before the first votes for legislators were cast, 22 percent turnover was guaranteed because of primary losses, retirements and term limits, Storey says.
When all the votes are counted, he expects turnover to reach up to 27 percent — the highest change in a decade.