Senate District 5

RENO-Filing done, the top races in the state have come into focus and politics-watchers have a lot to look forward to this season.

Reeling from three consecutive special election losses, congressional Republicans will have their hands full holding on to Congressional District 3 and, in a watershed year, CD2. Control of the state senate rests on the thinnest of one-seat majorities, and the Democrats' coveted "veto-proof" majority is only one pick-up away. Here's a brief rundown of the races to watch and how they could all play out:

Shirley Breeden, right, chats with Assemblymen Moises Denis and Ruben Kihuen in March.: Politicker Photo.LAS VEGAS-Clark County School District administrator Shirley Breeden will file today to challenge Republican state Sen. Joe Heck in Senate District 5.  Breeden had previously declared that she would seek the 21st Assembly District seat now held by Assemblyman Bob Beers.

According to a press release issued by the state Democratic Party, Breeden will seek the seat "because she believes more needs to be done to address the serious problems facing families and retirees in Nevada. She said the home foreclosure crisis, the public health crisis with the Hepatitis C outbreak and challenges facing our schools must be addressed now."

Although the district has been trending Democratic, Breeden will face a tough race to unseat Heck, who returned from a tour of Iraq with the Army Reserve Monday.  Heck filed for reelection Wednesday.

Newly elected Nevada Senate Minority Leader Steven Horsford speaks to volunteers at a voter registration drive Saturday.: Photo by Joseph K. Cooper/PolitickerNV.comLAS VEGAS-When Nevada Senate Democrats wrapped up their four-hour meeting Friday night, they had selected a new leader and created the outlines of a plan to take over the majority. The only things they lacked were specifics.

"Our caucus spent a lot of time last night talking about how we were going to work as a team to take the majority in November," said state Sen. Steven Horsford (D-Las Vegas), the newly elected Democratic leader, Saturday.

"Our first goal is to win in November, so that's what we're focused on. Once we get beyond winning, we'll start looking into how we will govern in 2009."