Eleven new members take their seats and two former leaders return to the Legislature's upper house when the Senate meets Tuesday in special session.

But the new members have a good deal of experience in office -- and seven are veterans of the House in recent years. Incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, should be able to control the Senate easily, because 28 of the body’s 40 members are Republicans.

With Democrat Dave Aronberg leaving the Senate due to term limits and an unsuccessful bid at his party’s attorney general nomination, the Republicans picked up his seat. Lizbeth Benacquisto defeated Kevin Rader on Election Day. Benacquisto will represent parts of Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Palm Beach counties. Benacquisto has lived in the Sunshine State for three decades and served as a councilwoman in Wellington for two terms. She capped off her service in Wellington as vice mayor.

A familiar face in Tallahassee has replaced Jeff Atwater, who moved from Senate president to state CFO. First elected to the House in a special election in 2004, Ellyn Bogdanoff rose to serve as majority whip before defeating fellow House Republican Carl Domino for the Republican nomination and Rep. Kelly Skidmore, a Democrat, in the general election. Bogdanoff will represent parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. Bogdanoff focused on fiscal issues during her campaign, arguing that the state needs to cut public spending and lower taxes for the economy to recover.

With Alex Diaz de la Portilla leaving the Senate, his seat representing part of Miami-Dade County stays with the Republicans and with the family -- now holds the seat. While the new senator certainly has a famous name, he has a solid record in his own right. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla has spent more than two decades practicing law, winning accolades from Martindale Hubbell and Florida Trend. He has also served on the Miami-Dade County Commission, becoming the youngest chairman in its history. Besides calling for free-market solutions on financial matters, the new senator also pledged to fight for Second Amendment rights and against abortion while he is in Tallahassee.