AUGUSTA (AP) – Incoming Senate Democrats elected a leadership team for the new legislative session Sunday, agreeing to nominate incumbent Beth Edmonds of Freeport for a second term as Senate president and turning to two former House speakers to serve as a majority floor leader team.

“Our caucus has voted for experience,” said Sen. Elizabeth Mitchell of Vassalboro, who will serve as majority leader with Sen. John Martin of Eagle Lake serving as the deputy majority leader.

Democrats will hold an 18-17 edge over Republicans in the Senate when the new Legislature convenes Dec. 6.

That one-vote advantage should be enough to ensure Edmonds’ re-election as president. However, injecting some uncertainty, Sen. Lynn Bromley of South Portland, participating by phone, declined to go along with a final motion pledging the caucus’s support for its nominees – Edmonds for president and Joy O’Brien and Judith DelFranco as secretary and assistant secretary.

Bromley did not state a reason.

Edmonds said later she anticipated caucus unity.

“That’s my hope,” Edmonds said.

Others echoed her optimism.

“It’ll be fine,” Mitchell said.

“Beth Edmonds will be the next Senate president. No problem at all,” said Sen. John Nutting of Leeds.

The caucus meeting itself, which followed a private session that Edmonds described as “a family discussion,” offered limited visible drama but hinted at machinations behind the scenes.

Edmonds was unopposed.

Mitchell had a race, besting Sen. Dennis Damon of Trenton by an unannounced margin after the two delivered mutually respectful speeches vowing to work determinedly to advance the Democrats’ agenda as it unfolds.

Martin, in the end, was also unopposed – but only after Sen. Philip Bartlett of Gorham, who had been regarded as a candidate for the deputy floor leader position himself, seconded Martin’s nomination and then declined to accept a nomination of himself put forth by Sen. Peggy Rotundo of Lewiston.

Offered a chance to speak to the caucus, Martin chose not to.

The positions of majority leader and deputy were open, due to the decisions by incumbents Michael Brennan of Portland and Kenneth Gagnon of Waterville not to seek new legislative terms.

Last week, incoming Senate Republicans elected Carol Weston of Montville as leader and Richard Rosen of Bucksport as assistant floor leader.

Weston, who begins her third Senate term after serving two in the House, held the assistant’s spot last session.

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