HARRISBURG -- Democrats insist they'll control the state House for the next two years, but there's still one person standing in the way -- the current Republican speaker, Rep. John Perzel of Philadelphia.

Even though a hard-fought race in Chester County has finally been decided in favor of the Democrats, giving them a 102-101 margin in the House starting Jan. 2, Mr. Perzel has refused to move out of his first-floor suite of offices in the Capitol.

Democrats are greatly annoyed.

"It's one man's attempt to hold onto power by refusing to leave his office," said Tom Andrews, a House Democratic spokesman. "He's refusing to accept the will of the voters on Nov. 7, when they chose a Democratic majority."

"The only Republican who appears unwilling to accept the verdict [of the election] is John Perzel, the former speaker of the House," the House Democratic Campaign Committee said in a statement.

A showdown is set for Tuesday at the Capitol. If all 102 Democrats hold together, Rep. H. William DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, will be elected speaker and Mr. Perzel and other GOP leaders will have to reluctantly move up to the fourth floor, where the minority party has its offices.

But if Mr. Perzel can lure one Democrat into changing parties, he could hang onto his post.

Mr. DeWeese is eagerly looking forward to resuming the powerful speaker's post, which he held in 1993-94. Democratic leaders have already begun to pack for the move from the cramped fourth-floor offices, where they've been since January 1995, to the more spacious and comfortable digs of the speaker, just off the rotunda.

Mr. DeWeese recalled that back in December 1994, when Republicans wrested control of the House from Democrats, "We picked up our gear and marched north (to the fourth floor). I am confident my good friend, Mr. Perzel, will respect the traditions that undergird the House, and Republicans will assume the minority suite."

Having Democrats control the House for the first time in more than a decade would likely carry benefits for southwestern Pennsylvania. Rep. David Levdansky, D-Forward, will likely become chairman of the House Finance Committee, which plays a major role on tax issues, and Rep. Joseph Markosek, D-Monroeville, would run the Transportation Committee, which will have a lot to say about funding for roads, bridges and mass transit.

While most legislators expect Mr. DeWeese to become top dog for 2007-08, some say don't overlook the wily Mr. Perzel's ability to cling to power. He could do that either by persuading just one Democrat to switch parties and become a Republican, thus giving the GOP control by a 102-101 edge, or by persuading two Democrats to stay home on Tuesday, so Mr. Perzel would be elected 101-100.

Mr. Perzel hasn't been available for comment since last week, when Chester County officials certified Democrat Barbara McIlvaine Smith as the winner, by 28 votes, over Republican Shannon Royer, in the 156th House District.

Initially, Mr. Royer appeared to be the winner by 19 votes, but after all absentee and military votes were tallies, Ms. Smith won by 28 votes. Mr. Royer even conceded defeat last week.

And yet Mr. Perzel has kept his silence. There have been no signs of packing at the speaker's offices and Mr. Perzel's name remains on the door. Mr. Perzel and House Republican Campaign Committee spokesman Al Bowman haven't returned phone calls.

"It's clear the Democrats won the election fair and square and are the majority party in the House," said Franklin & Marshall College professor and pollster G. Terry Madonna.

And yet, he added, "There are intimations that Republicans are still working to find some [Democrat] to switch parties," throwing control back to the GOP.

Mr. Madonna recalled what occurred in December 1994, when Rep. Tom Stish, D-Luzerne, switched to the GOP, throwing power in the House to Republicans, which they've held since.

"This time, however, I don't think any legislator will switch parties, and I think DeWeese will become speaker," Mr. Madonna said. "But don't forget that this is Pennsylvania, where you always expect the unexpected from the Legislature."

As for a couple Democrats simply skipping Tuesday's vote, Mr. Madonna added, "Anything less than a life-threatening illness would be viewed as high treason by Democratic leaders."

Mr. Perzel was a cheerleader for the now-repealed legislative pay raise of July 2005, and embarrassed some colleagues later by his attempts to defend it, such as saying a state legislator should earn more than a Lancaster County cow milker or a Philadelphia tattoo artist. He also didn't help his image by disputing with a Pittsburgh elementary school student whether the long black car in which he'd rode to her school was a limousine or not.

If Mr. DeWeese becomes speaker, he has said he'll work for reductions in the property tax. He would seek to generate additional revenue by increasing the state sales tax or the personal income tax.