From the AP:  Three years ago, 98 Democrats arrived at the North Carolina General Assembly to begin yet another session in the majority.  Longtime Sen. Marc Basnight and Rep. Joe Hackney again led their respective chambers to continue the party’s almost uninterrupted period of control since 1898.

But governing through a rough economy, followed by an election that gave Republicans the gavels of power and pencils to redraw district boundaries for the next decade, mean fewer than half those Democratic lawmakers will be around the Legislative Building in 2013.

A review of election defeats, resignations and retirements shows that of the 30 Democratic senators in early 2009, 19 of them are no longer in the Senate or won’t return after this year. In the House, 37 of the 68 Democrats in 2009 either are already gone, announced they won’t seek re-election in 2012 or will be at home. Some won’t return in 2013 because they’ll lose to a fellow incumbent in the May primary. Others may not win in November. The candidate filing period begins Monday.

While redistricting, age and attempts at other elected offices have contributed to a similar number of Republicans deciding not to run for re-election this year, the Democratic exodus since 2009 is more extensive. The changing leadership at the Legislature has required lawmakers to take stock of why they’re serving and if they want to continue.