Senate GOP elects leadership> Power-sharing negotiations resume

AUGUSTA – With a new sense of pride as political players in the State House, Senate Republicans elected their leaders Monday before resuming negotiations on how to share power with the Democrats.

Sen. Richard Bennett of Norway, after winning the GOP senators’ nomination to serve a post they are temporarily dubbing “president-president pro tem,” told his caucus it should feel “reinvigorated.”

“We’re no longer the minority party,” said Bennett, the GOP senators’ only nominee for the top post.

Republicans have been the Senate’s minority for the last four years, leaving appointments of committee members and top Senate posts to the Democrats.

Now, the chamber is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats, who have 17 seats each, with one independent.

Looking ahead to the Dec. 6 swearing-in of the newly elected Legislature, the partisan blocs of the House and Senate are choosing their leaders.

On Monday, Sen. Mary Small of Bath was elected GOP floor leader. The 22-year legislative veteran defeated Sen. Betty Lou Mitchell of Etna, who is beginning her third Senate term.

For the assistant floor leader’s post, second-term Sen. Paul Davis of Sangerville defeated Sen.-elect Kevin Shorey of Calais.

Former Sen. Pamela Cahill was the Republicans’ choice for Senate secretary, defeating former state Rep. Joseph Carleton of Wells for the prized post. Cahill, a lawyer, also served in the House and was an assistant Senate secretary.

Carleton, a former House assistant floor leader who served during a brief period in which House Republicans gained parity with Democrats, injected some levity into Monday’s procedure. “When the vote is taken,” he said, “I will not ask for a recount.”

With the partisan split in the Senate, Republicans and Democrats must agree on a power-sharing arrangement that gives each an equal share in filling posts from the chamber’s presidency down to staff positions. Even the seating arrangement is at issue.

While some of the major points have been agreed to, Democratic delegates and the lone independent, Sen. Jill Goldthwait of Bar Harbor, resumed negotiating details after Monday’s vote.

Bennett said the two parties have agreed in principle to have their nominees for president serve on alternating shifts, although it’s not clear how long each of those stints would be.

As to the committee assignments, Bennett foresees “a form of a sports draft” in which each side would take turns filling a certain number of committee slots.

The basic approach, said Bennett, is to take all of the legislative staff and resources and committee chairs, divide them equally “and lock that in place so it works for two years.”

Goldthwait said the two parties can work out an agreement by “keeping it simple, keeping it normal.”

“If we play nicely, we can work this out,” she said.

Senate Democrats meet Wednesday to elect their leaders.

The Democrats have a majority in the House and will control key appointments and committee assignments there.