House Democrats have five seats in their sights.

House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman told Dome that he hopes to expand the 68-seat majority to as many as 75 seats in the fall elections. Here are his top five districts:

25th: In a double primary, Democrats Randy Stewart and Carnell Taylor face off against either Republican W.B. Bullock or Robert A. Coats for the seat of Republican Rep. Bill Daughtridge.

36th: Recently retired IBM executive Al Swanstrom of Cary, a Democrat, will challenge second-term Republican Rep. Nelson Dollar.

53rd: Dunn attorney and political newcomer Joseph Lindsey (Joe) Tart, a Democrat, faces off against Rep. David Lewis.

87th: Banker and former State Board of Community Colleges chairman John Forlines, a Democrat, will challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Edgar Starnes.

116th: Jane Whilden, an Asheville Democrat who ran Gov. Mike Easley's western office, squares off against Asheville Republican Tim Moffitt for the seat of Rep. Charles Thomas.

Age equals experience for John Forlines.

Forlines, founder of the Bank of Granite, announced his run for the state House of Representatives representing Caldwell County this week.

If elected, Forlines, 90, will become the oldest serving representative. He is running against Rep. Edgar Starnes, a Republican in his seventh term.

Is age an issue for his candidacy? "My age gives me a pretty big edge because I've had a lot of good experience," he told Dome.

For Forlines, age is only a number. "I don't feel that old," he said. "I feel I'm much younger."

If elected, Forlines says education is his top priority. He chaired the State Board of Community Colleges, served on Duke University's Education Board and the board of directors of Caldwell Community College.

A former chairman of the North Carolina Banker's Association, Forlines also said he wants to improve the economy and "the lives of our people."

Currently, the oldest representative is 82-year-old Dewey Hill, who is in his eighth term representing Brunswick and Columbus counties.