SPRINGFIELD - Four years in the political minority has led to frustration, turnover and new faces among Illinois Senate Republicans.

The upcoming primary election will set the stage for even more change. By next January, there could be anywhere from five to nearly a dozen new GOP faces.

Some of the Senate's 27 Republican members are pursuing higher office, such as Peter Roskam (Congress), Bill Brady (governor) and Christine Radogno (treasurer).

Two are retiring, and one veteran could be leaving against her will.

Sen. Adeline Geo-Karis, 87, had signaled that she would retire after serving in the Senate since the late 1970s. Suzanne Simpson, a former House member, got into the race, but Geo-Karis decided to run again.

Now Republican leaders are in the awkward position of choosing between a beloved but vulnerable senator and a new face who might fare better in the fall general election.

Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, says he's not worried by the upheaval.

So many senators running for higher office demonstrates his caucus' talent and appeal, he says, and the GOP has a strong group of replacements to help keep those seats and challenge Democrats for control of the chamber.

"Sure, we'd rather be in the majority," Watson said. "We'd rather be having more of a say about what goes on, but we're working towards that."

But a Watson colleague and a legislative expert agree that playing runner-up takes its toll.

"Especially for Republicans who are in the minority, there's a little extra added incentive (to leave) when you're in the minority so you don't have to sit down here in purgatory," said Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale.

House Republicans have seen a few of their members come and go, too, in recent years, but they've had much more stability after being in the political minority for more than a decade.

More than 150 legislative seats are in play this election year. That means more than 300 primary battles were possible. Instead, there are just 35 races.

More than 80 incumbent lawmakers face no opponent in the primary or the November general election, virtually guaranteeing they'll return to Springfield next year.

Chris Mooney, a professor in the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at Springfield, says recapturing political power is especially difficult for Republicans under a map of legislative districts that favors Democrats.

"It's just harder and harder to recruit those quality candidates if they don't see that payoff on the other side," Mooney said. "It's just much better to be in the majority."

The contested races are dominated by local personalities and issues, party leaders say.

Other than Geo-Karis, few veteran lawmakers face strong challenges this spring. Some battles involve people vying to replace outgoing legislators, while short-time lawmakers such as Republican Rep. Roger Jenisch and Democratic Sen. Mike Jacobs are trying to hang on to their seats.

Jacobs says it hasn't always been easy replacing his father, Denny, a popular longtime Democrat from the Quad Cities in northwestern Illinois known for colorful language and a fondness for gambling measures.

"My father laid down huge, big shoes to fill," Jacobs said. "But the fact is I'm laying down a few tracks of my own."