JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Things are not getting any easier for Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon as he enters his final term as governor.

Tuesday night, Republicans scored large supermajorities in both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly. Still, speaking with reporters, Nixon said he does not expect to change his approach.

“Just because a couple of people got elected doesn’t mean Missouri dramatically changed yesterday,” Nixon said. “I know this state pretty well and I’m in a unique opportunity here with two years to go.”

But, it was more than just a few people. Republicans won 117 seats in the Missouri House on Tuesday night with eight more than they began. On Wednesday. Linda Black — elected as Democrat — announced she was leaving the party to caucus with Republicans, strengthening their new supermajority.

Nixon made one high-profile change on Wednesday: John Watson, who has served as his chief of staff since he was elected in 2008, will step down to the role of senior advisor.

“I cannot think of anyone who has ever served as six years as chief of staff,” Nixon said. “We are very personally close after a number yard as service.”

Watson joined Nixon in 1997 during his first term as the state’s attorney general. In brief remarks, he looked at Nixon with a smile in his office and said, “it was a quick six years.”

Nixon said Wednesday that Chris Pieper, a lawyer in his administration who serves at a liaison to various departments, will take over the job effective Dec. 1.