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With its new campaign office on the Northwest Side, the Pima County Democratic Party has moved into Republican territory it would like to claim in this year's election.

"We're going to do what it takes to really compete up there, and that's why we've committed the resources to open that office," said Ken Jacobs, the party's executive director.

"It is an important investment in seeing Democratic success, not only in the county but statewide."

Calls to Republican Party officials seeking comment were not returned Thursday.

Registered Republican voters outnumber Democrats in Legislative District 26, which includes Oro Valley and parts of Marana and the Catalina Foothills.

Of the district's 104,667 registered voters, 42,161 are Republicans and 35,253 are Democrats, according to the latest figures from the Pima County Recorder's Office.

The party hopes to repeat this year what was accomplished in 2006, when Democrats in District 26 won a House seat and the Senate seat in the Legislature.

In November's general election, Democratic candidate Cheryl Cage, who is running for the state Senate, will face incumbent state Rep. Pete Hershberger or challenger Al Melvin, who are competing in the Sept. 2 Republican primary.

Melvin, a retired merchant mariner, lost to Democratic state Sen. Charlene Pesquiera by fewer than 500 votes two years ago. She is not running for re-election.

On the House side, two Democrats and three Republicans in the district are running. The Democrats are state Rep. Nancy Young Wright and Don Jorgensen. The Republicans are Trent Humphries, Marilyn Zerrull and Vic Williams.

"It's a district that has more registered Republicans, but it doesn't mean that all those folks are particularly fond of the policy, the emphasis on extremist issues rather than common-sense issues," Jacobs said.

Peggy Hammann, Democratic chairwoman for the district, said the new office will make it easier for volunteers to get their message out.

"We'll be running phone banks, walks, candidate contacts, mailings," she said.

"Up until now we were meeting in volunteers' homes."

The office is the third for the Democrats in the county.