Washington state GOP lawmakers have rejected a proposal from their Democrat counterparts to split power in the state Senate, preferring instead to maintain their new “Majority Coalition Caucus” created with the help of two breakaway Democrats.
The current majority leader, Democratic Sen. Ed Murray, proposed Monday to establish a co-chairmanship with Republican caucus leader Mark Schoesler, according to the
Seattle Times. His party also offered to institute co-chairmanships for all Senate committees.
But the Senate's 23 Republicans immediately rejected the deal in favor of moving ahead with the agreement made with Democrats Rodney Tom and Tim Sheldon last week.
The coalition governing plan would essentially give Republicans control of the chamber by making Tom and Sheldon the Senate majority leader and president pro tempore, respectively, in exchange for providing GOP members with key chairmanships over the budget, education, and health care committees.