25th Alaska State Legislature

Shortly after the 2006 November election, a bipartisan coalition was announced between all nine Democratic senators and six of the eleven Republican senators.[2] Democrats will chair the Judiciary, Health, Education, & Social Services, Labor and Commerce, Community and Regional Affairs, and Transportation Committees, as well as co-chair the powerful Finance Committee. The Senate Republicans in the coalition will also have a co-chair for the Finance Committee (the minority Republicans will only be given one seat on the committee), and chair the State Affairs, Resources, and Rules Committees.[3]

Because of the Republican split, the Democrats control a majority of committee chairmanships while Republicans in the governing coalition chair the others. The majority leader is the same legislator as it was in the last session, a Republican, who has joined the bi-partisan coalition. Because of this, the minority leader is head of the five-member Republican organization. Hence, all three listed officers of the body are Republicans, as different aspects are in the majority (with the chamber-wide minority Democrats) while others are in the official minority.

The split is largely viewed as over the Senate presidency. The minority leader was the Republicans' suspected, initial choice for Senate President.[3] The coalition commands three-quarters of the body.

A similar move was made in the 24th Legislature, on the House side. The coalition was later disbanded.

The President of the Senate is Republican Lyda Green of District G (Matanuska-Susitna Valley). The Majority Leader is Republican Gary Stevens of District R (Kodiak). The Minority Leader is Republican Gene Therriault of District F (North Pole).