AUGUSTA (AP) – Now that they have recaptured control of the Maine Senate, newly elected Democrats are engaged in a multisided contest to select a new presiding officer.

Departing due to term limits are Senate President Beverly Daggett, D-Augusta, and Majority Leader Sharon Treat, D-Farmingdale.

That leaves Sen. Kenneth Gagnon of Waterville as the only returning member of the Democratic Senate leadership team. But the Democratic caucus has at least three others who have been considered candidates for president: Sens. Lynn Bromley of South Portland, Beth Edmonds of Freeport and John Martin of Eagle Lake.

Leadership races can be secretive affairs, with hopefuls taking private soundings of their colleagues’ sentiments.

Discussions usually span big-picture topics, such as the proper role for a leader within a caucus structure and a vision for what a majority should strive to accomplish, and extend to more personal issues, such as committee assignments.

As the political basic, counting is crucial. Usually if one candidate can credibly claim majority support within a caucus, potential rivals quietly drop out. But when several candidates are conducting explorations, the calculus can become complicated.

Would-be leaders must plot out how a series of run-off tallies might play out and decide whether their chances could improve on a second or third round of balloting as the field of candidates dwindles.

Rank-and-file caucus members, meanwhile, can naturally be expected to try to maximize their leverage and test which of the hopefuls can offer them what they want.

Gagnon, who has been active in tax policy debates in the Legislature and is the current assistant majority leader, is about to begin a third term in the Senate after two terms in the House. He is the current Senate chairman of the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee.

Bromley will also embark on a third term. She has been the Senate chairwoman of the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development and serves on the Utilities and Energy Committee.

Edmonds, the Senate chairwoman of the Labor Committee, is also returning for a third term. In addition to her Labor panel role, she is on the Natural Resources Committee.

Martin, one of Maine’s most recognizable political figures, begins a third Senate term after more than three decades in the House and two decades as House speaker. He is chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Health and Human Services Committee.

Unofficial election returns give Democrats an 18-17 edge over Republicans in the 35-member Senate chamber, the same bare majority that Democrats have held for the past two years. Strict party discipline would guarantee a Democratic president for the new session, but a one-vote split heightens suspense.

Republicans last had a Senate president two sessions ago when Richard Bennett, R-Norway, and Democrat Michael Michaud of East Millinocket, who is now the 2nd Congressional District representative, shared the job in a chamber divided 17-17 with one independent.