COLUMBIA, S.C. - House Democrats are preparing for the possibility that Speaker David Wilkins will be nominated for a U.S. ambassador post and hoping to grab something they've had little of in recent years: bargaining power.

Democrats hold 50 seats to Republicans' 74. It's a lopsided balance of power that's grown since 1994 when a handful of Democrats cut deals that helped Wilkins, R-Greenville, win the speaker's gavel in a closely divided House. Party switching and election gains since have left Democrats a shrinking minority.

Speculation has come and gone for years about Wilkins, who twice headed South Carolina campaign efforts for President Bush. He has passed on offers of an ambassadorship to Chile and a federal judgeship. Now, speculation has him being considered for a post as ambassador to Canada.

For his part, Wilkins has little to say on the rumors that come and go every so often. "Those are old rumors recycled and I have no further comment on them. ... I'm just not going to feed them anymore," Wilkins said.

If Wilkins were to leave, however, it is expected to spark at least a four-way race among Republicans. House Speaker Pro Tem Doug Smith of Spartanburg, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bobby Harrell of Charleston, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Harrison and House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee Chairman Harry Cato say they would seek the job if Wilkins leaves.

Rep. Doug Jennings, D-Bennettsville and former minority leader, says he would also seek the job.

While Jennings would be short of votes, he would be able to bargain a bloc of Democratic votes, Rep. James Smith, D-Columbia and a former minority leader, said.

"He's there to rally our troops," Smith said.

A four-way GOP contest means divided loyalties and votes among Republicans, leaving Jennings - if he is able to keep Democrats together - with a decisive voting bloc.

Smith and current Minority Leader Harry Ott, D-St. Matthews, said it is the best opportunity Democrats have had to gain ground in the House in years.

"We would hope to be able to use this opportunity to have some input on the next speaker and hopefully make some changes in the way the House operates ... so it would be a more level playing field," Ott said.

Democrats would want several things in exchange for their support of the next speaker, such as more subcommittee chairmen and the authority to appoint one of three members the House has on conference committees.

"We have no authority to appoint anybody to anything," Ott said.

And that has made it tough for Democrats to stick together on key issues, Smith said.

Republicans aren't likely to yield any power easily. "The best way for Democrats to get the authority they seek is to win elections," House Majority Leader Jim Merrill, R-Daniel Island, said.

But Republicans know they've got to court Democrats.

And the courting may already have begun. Wednesday night, all four potential GOP hopefuls for the speakership showed up at a the 30th birthday party for Democrat freshman Rep. Laurie Slade Funderburk of Camden, surprising Smith and Jennings. They were "all literally falling all over themselves," Jennings said. "The timing of them showing up at a freshman Democrat's birthday party is very telling."

Merrill said other Republicans were at the party and Democrats are reading to much into it. "I think they are just seeing ghosts where there are none," Merrill said.