CHICAGO (AP) – Democrats were on target to keep comfortable control of the General Assembly on Tuesday despite several tight races.

Most officeholders rolled up large pluralities in early returns. Still, some Democrats the GOP targeted were in pitched battles.

Rep. Careen Gordon, D-Coal City, had 51 percent to Republican Morris Police Chief Doug Hayse’s 49 percent with 88 percent of precincts reporting unofficial results.

In the Senate, 20-year veteran Democrat Patrick Welch of Peru was losing 53 percent to 47 percent to Republican businessman Gary Dahl with 84 percent of precincts reporting unofficial numbers.

And Willow Hill GOP challenger David Reis crushed Rep. Bill Grunloh, D-Effingham, 63 percent to 37 percent with 78 percent of unofficial results in.

But while Republicans hoped to make gains in some areas, they stumbled in others, including some they didn’t expect.

Struggling to hold their own in a strong Democratic year in Illinois, the GOP lost Cicero Rep. Frank Aguilar’s seat. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Democrat Michelle Chavez of Cicero bested Aguilar 53 percent to 47 percent in unofficial results.

And Rep. Ruth Munson, R-Elgin, was tied at 50 percent with Elgin Democrat Michael Noland with 64 percent of unofficial returns in.

In a key race, Rep. Ralph Capparelli, D-Chicago, lost the post he’d held 33 years, longer than any other current House member besides House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago. Both entered the House in 1971.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting unofficial results, Rep. Michael McAuliffe, R-Chicago, beat Capparelli 59 percent to 41 percent in a race forced when a newly drawn legislative map put the two incumbents in the same district.

With President Bush running poorly in Illinois and a national media darling as their U.S. Senate nominee, Democrats were confident of holding state legislative majorities in Tuesday’s election.

The House GOP, down 52 seats to 66, set its sights on three Democrats appointed to replace incumbents who moved on to other jobs: Grunloh, Gordon and Lisa Dugan of Bradley, who beat challenger Kay Pangle of Kankakee 53 percent to 47 percent with 100 percent of precincts reporting unofficial results.

In the Senate, Democrats currently hold a 32-26 advantage over Republicans and have the support of an independent.

The GOP went after Welch, with Dahl attacking him for sponsoring some of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s tax and fee increases. Republicans also targeted freshman Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, who beat a GOP veteran in 2002.

Sullivan, however, beat Republican businessman Tom Ernst of Quincy 61 percent to 39 percent with 90 percent of precincts reporting unofficial results.

Also in Republican sights was Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, a House member when he was appointed to fill a Senate vacancy. He was beating Ron Summers of Thompsonville, former Du Quoin State Fair manager, 53 percent to 47 percent with 86 percent of unofficial returns in.