RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Democrats in the North Carolina Senate are wasting no time choosing a new majority leader.
A spokesman for Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight said Thursday the Senate Democratic Caucus will meet next Tuesday to elect a successor to Tony Rand.
Rand announced last week he was leaving the Legislature by year's end to head the state parole commission.
The leading candidate to become Basnight's top lieutenant appears to be Sen. Martin Nesbitt of Buncombe County. Basnight endorsed Nesbitt in a letter last week.
Rand said Thursday he will neither get involved in the election nor vote on his successor even though he's still officially a senator.
The brunt of the majority leader's work begins when the Legislature reconvenes in May.
