with the legislative session just five days away, republican lawmakers are flexing new political muscle and considering how to use it. one plan includes giving a powerful democratic leader the boot. stuart dyson is here with what's happening behind the scenes. republicans suddenly have new strength in the state house of representatives thanks to the november election - and that could spell curtains for democrat ben lujan's long reign of power as speaker of the house. house republican leader tom taylor meeting with albuquerque business leaders this afternoon along with two house freshmen - part of the new strength. republicans gained 8 seats in the house - giving them 33 members and carving the democrats down to 37 - a margin of just 4 votes. and some southern democrats are saying they have enough votes to join with republicans and knock ben lujan out of the speaker's chair. the plan would be to replace him with las cruces democrat joe cervantes in a new coalition - that is if republicans have an appetite for such a movida. " i can see advantages and disadvantages - so - you know - you really have to weigh the decision is doing this sort of thing - ha ha ha!" " i think we gotta look at what's right for the state and is the speaker we have the right guy - do we need to bring some new blood in the legislature - you're gonna get me in trouble with this! q: i'm not gonna get you in trouble! a: ha ha ha!" there's a lot of laughing there - but then republicans have a lot to be happy about with susana martinez in the governor's office and a working coalition already in place in the state senate for years now. what would a house coalition mean for republicans - probably not committee chairmanships and vice chairs - but most likely something even more important - that rare political phenomenon known as fairness - it all goes down next tuesday at the capitol
