Topeka ? It didn’t take long for divisions among Senate Republicans to erupt.

On Wednesday — three days into the 2005 legislative session — Republicans took off the gloves in rancorous debate over rules that govern the Senate.

“I guess it’s every man for himself,” Sen. Ralph Ostmeyer, R-Grinnell, said after an agreement that he thought had been made in the GOP caucus fell apart.

The political battle took several hours and appeared to be a tune-up for today’s controversial vote on a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

With a 30-10 advantage in the Senate, Republicans control the process of appointing committee chairs, moving legislation and eventually getting bills to a final vote.

But the GOP caucus is sharply split between conservatives — who focus more on socially conservative issues such as opposition to abortion — and moderates.

Moderates are in the key leadership positions, so conservatives sought to reduce procedural barriers that have kept some of their bills bottled up by committee chairs.

“This will allow the Senate to operate in a more fair and democratic way,” said Sen. Phil Journey, R-Haysville.

But several Senate leaders said the effort was an attempt to sidestep the authority of the committee chairs, and also showed a lack of trust for new Senate leaders who were recently elected by the caucus.

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“This is an attempt to reverse the results of the election,” said Sen. Pete Brungardt, R-Salina.

Journey’s attempts failed before the full Senate.

But another dispute erupted over the limit of five recorded roll-call votes on any one issue.

Conservatives remain angry from last year when they said several senators were able to hide their votes on a same-sex marriage ban after former Sen. David Adkins, R-Leawood, used up all five roll-call votes with superficial amendments.

To avoid that again, several senators called for an increase in the number of roll-call votes.

But Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita, said that would hurt Republicans because Democrats would use the roll-call votes to make them look bad politically.

“We will be on record of voting against more money for crippled children,” he said.

But Sen. Peggy Palmer, R-Augusta, pushed for an amendment for unlimited roll-call votes. The measure prevailed in a 21-19 roll call vote with nine of the Senate’s 10 Democrats supporting it.