AUGUSTA -- Maine has a new Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives.

Democrat Elizabeth Mitchell of Vassalboro was elected Senate president today and Rep. Hannah Pingree of North Haven, also a Democrat, was elected House speaker.

Both were elected unanimously after Republicans, in a gesture of bipartisanship at the start of a difficult session, threw their support behind Mitchell and Pingree.

It is the first time both of Maine's legislative chambers will be headed by women at the same time.

Maine's newly elected lawmakers today will also elect Janet Mills of Farmington as attorney general, making her the first woman to serve as the state's chief lawyer.