HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — After winning enough seats to give both parties the same number of seats in the Connecticut Senate for the first time in since 1893, Republicans hope to find a chamber of equals when they return to the state Capitol next year. 

It's unclear, however, how equal the 18-to-18 chamber will be once the new legislative session opens Jan. 4 and whether the next two years will be marked by a continuing power struggle.

Democratic lawmakers, who've controlled the 36-member Senate since 1996, believe they still will hold a political edge because Connecticut's constitution says the lieutenant governor, "shall by virtue of his office, be president of the senate, and have, when in committee of the whole, a right to debate, and when the senate is equally divided, to give the casting vote." Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman is a Democrat.

"Our constitution is absolutely clear that the lieutenant governor has the right to break a tie. We're very confident in the legal research we have done," said Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven.

He said Democrats in the Senate believe that applies to both votes on bills and leadership appointments. He notes the constitution does not include language that limits the lieutenant governor to only breaking ties on bill or resolutions.

Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, disagrees with Looney that Connecticut's constitution also gives Wyman the ability to make the final decision on Senate leadership positions, even though the Democrats already have proclaimed Looney as next year's Senate President Pro Tempore and Sen. Bob Duff of Norwalk as Senate Majority Leader.

Fasano warns Democrats might be making a misstep with voters if they try to "bully their way through" the next two years by relying on a provision in the state constitution that benefits them politically.

"I think they recognize that, and I don't think they want to incur the disfavor of acting out under a rule that technically gives them the power," he said.

Fasano said he and Looney, whose personal and professional relationship dates back more than 25 years, have met once to discuss the unique situation they'll find themselves in next year. In the meantime, Democratic and GOP staff have been researching the law and how other states have handled split legislative chambers. Looney said he expects the pair will meet again before or shortly after Thanksgiving.

"I'm confident that Marty and I will have some conversations about this and will try to work it through," said Fasano. "I think that there just has to be a discussion of what can be done that recognizes an 18-18 tie; there's no longer a majority, that the majority voices are equal and therefore to reflect the will of the people," Fasano said. "The power must be equal, but yet still have an organization."

Despite the best intentions, both men acknowledge that sharing power will likely be tricky.

"There's always the possibility for things going off the rails," Looney said. "That's possible when you don't have this extra factor."

Connecticut is one of 25 states where the lieutenant governor presides over the Senate, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In all but one of those states, that person also is able to break ties.

Connecticut lawmakers can look to their colleagues in other states where there have been split chambers. For example, when the Oregon House became equally divided after the 2010 election, party leaders went through weeks of negotiations and ultimately came up with a co-governance arrangement. There were co-speakers of the House, each acceptable to the other party. Also, every legislative committee had co-chairs.

That could prove challenging in Connecticut, however, considering the General Assembly's committees have joint Senate and House membership. Looney said there's a possibility each committee ultimately could have three chairmen — one Democratic House chairman, one Democratic Senate chairman and one Republican Senate chairman.