Metro Council Republicans are supporting James Peden, R-23, as their candidate for council president. With only 10 members set to take office in 2009, the Republicans are once again the underdogs to win the seat, but in years past they’ve played the spoiler.

With two key Democrats — current President Jim King, D-10, and Councilman David Tandy — vying for the position, possibly resulting in a deadlock 8-to-8 vote in the majority caucus, Republicans could pull off an upset.

“It’s an opportunity to get a voice in and be an alternative to a Jim King or David Tandy,” Peden says. “If we can beat the odds of the new council ratio being 16 to 10, I hope to be a president who actually questions the mayor’s activities and pushes to get information up front.”