AUGUSTA (AP) – Incoming Republican House members elected Josh Tardy of Newport as their floor leader Monday as lawmakers to be sworn in on Dec. 6 completed their leadership selections for the two-year session ahead.

Tardy, a lawyer who served as assistant GOP leader last term, ascended to the minority leader’s position without opposition. In a two-way race for the No. 2 GOP floor position, third-term Rep. Robert Crosthwaite emerged a winner.

House Republicans, meeting in a rented banquet room off the State House grounds, assembled following their worst election showing in a dozen years – 60 seats to the Democrats’ 89 – and determined to turn their numbers around in 2008. Two independents will also serve in the House.

“We have to stand proud as 60 people,” Tardy told the caucus as he highlighted small inroads by the Republicans, including capturing a pair of seats in traditionally Democratic districts in Topsham and the St. John Valley. “We need to move forward with an eye toward earning a majority.”

“Out of disarray comes opportunity,” Tardy added. “We’ve got lots of opportunity.”

Crosthwaite, a pastor from Ellsworth who emigrated from Canada and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1991, pledged to work to reverse this fall’s GOP losses in 2008 as he asked for caucus support in the balloting for the assistant minority leader’s spot.

Crosthwaite defeated second-term Rep. John Robinson of Raymond.

, who also promised to “work tirelessly to undermine the Democrat stranglehold on power” in Augusta.

Robinson, president of a manufacturing company who also heads a real estate and property management firm, said he was better qualified to unify Republicans of different ideological stripes than his rival and has a proven track record for fund-raising and working on behalf of candidates.

But Crosthwaite brought in high ratings from Maine hunting, gun owners’ and small business owners’ groups and a voting record identifying him as “an enemy of runaway spending,” Rep. Michael Vaughan of Durham told caucus members in support of Crosthwaite’s nomination.

“Are you tired of hearing there’s no difference between the two parties?” said Vaughan. “Well, I am.”

The vote tally was not released.

“I believe this is the newly energized Maine House Republican caucus,” said Crosthwaite. “We don’t have to leave our identity at the door.”

Democrats, who have an 18-17 edge in the Senate, elected their leaders Sunday. The House Democrats and Senate Republicans elected their leaders last week.

AP-ES-11-20-06 1604EST