Holding office in a seat with voter registration numbers favoring Republicans , the race was expected to be strongly contested .
Rice sought a second term in the legislature in the 2008 statewide elections , facing Republican Dave Kerber .
Holding office in a seat with voter registration numbers favoring Republican , the race was expected to be strongly contested .
Rice sought a second term in the legislature in the 2008 statewide elections , facing Republican Dave Kerber .