Now the Democrats want a shot at expanding their tenuous 10 to a more secure majority, say 11, 12 or even 13.

But all sides were aware that the Democrats still hold a tenuous majority, 50 to 49, with one independent, and that power could easily switch again with another party shift, a death or an unexpected resignation.

His fellow Democrats hold a tenuous one-vote majority in the County Legislature, and the Republicans are fighting to regain control.

Democrats in the Nassau County Legislature unveiled a map of new district boundaries today that they hope will expand their tenuous one-vote majority in next fall's elections.

I have read all of some of his opinions, and bits of others, and I know where he dissented and where he pulled together a tenuous majority.

But in the last 18 months, that tenuous Conservative majority - like the town's soaring economy - has been badly shaken by Britain's persistent recession.

His party is also defending a tenuous 10-to-9 majority in the County Legislature.

Republicans, clinging to a tenuous majority in the House, where all spending bills originate, are painfully aware of polls suggesting that Americans want increased social spending more than they want a tax cut.

With a rather tenuous majority in the parliament, the government had delayed in calling this by-election.

A troubling reality of Mr. Bersin's tenure is that he has functioned with a tenuous 3-to-2 majority on the board since he was hired four years ago.