No one quite knows who will control which levers of power in the state Senate if Republicans enlarge their minority by one vote, which looks increasingly likely as Sen. Don Benton leads going into a recount (Here’s the latest on that front as the website Washington State Wire sees it).

But in an acknowledgement that they don’t hold all the cards, Democrats are asking for negotiations — perhaps hoping Republicans will show some of their own cards.

Incoming Majority Leader Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat, sent a letter Tuesday to Republicans saying once they pick a new leader,

we request Republican leadership meet with Senate Democratic leadership to negotiate a clear administrative process going forward and to fulfill your shared responsibility to govern. Our goal is to recognize the fluid nature of the Senate at present and to govern accordingly.

Conservative Democrats have been demanding a bipartisan process involving negotiation between the parties and a coalition approach to leadership.

UPDATED 2:37 p.m.: Here’s outgoing GOP Leader Mike Hewitt‘s response to Murray.