One Senate Republican majority, two GOP political-action committees.

Republicans hold 24 of the Senate's 40 seats, and thus control the chamber. But deep divisions exist between the two factions of conservatives and centrists, exacerbated by last year's tax fight.

So six conservative senators decided this spring to form their own group, the Republican Senate Victory PAC, to set its own political course and expand the number of GOP members, "which is something that has not been undertaken by the Senate leadership in the last few years," said state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax.

"There are 24 of us in that legislative caucus, but there are two political caucuses," Cuccinelli said.

As of June 30, the newly formed group reported nearly $14,000 in cash. Sen. Jay O'Brien of Fairfax is the chairman.

That compares with the almost $285,000 held by the Virginia Senate Leadership Trust, which consists of 17 GOP senators, most of whom supported the $1.4 billion tax increase that cleared the legislature in 2004 after a protracted, bitter fight.

Cuccinelli said he declined membership in the other group because of what he called "quite incredible and absolutely unique" strings: $5,000 dues; not knowing how the money would be spent; and committing to re-electing after the next Senate election in 2007 the current leadership, known sometimes as the "Gang of Five."

J. Scott Leake, executive director of the leadership PAC, said membership "has been open to every Republican senator. Some have chosen not to join."

The group's mission, he explained, "is to continue the course of responsible government for which we have developed a reputation over the last two years and to build some consensus within the Senate Republican caucus as to where that direction takes us in the future."