PORTLAND, Maine (AP) The Maine Senate has rejected a Republican-led effort to end Democratic Gov. Janet Mills’ emergency powers during the pandemic.

Republican Sen. Rick Bennett of Oxford introduced the joint resolution Thursday that sought to end Mills’ emergency declaration, which has been in place for a year during the COVID-19 outbreaks.

“A central tenet of our democracy is separation of powers. The Legislature has a unique role in being the eyes and ears and the voice of the people. With this imbalance of government, there has been a pernicious degradation of our democratic traditions over the past months,” Bennett said.

Three Democrats joined Senate Republicans in supporting the measure, but it failed on a 19-15 vote.

The governor’s office said it was not interested in politicizing the pandemic, and said the emergency powers allow the state to move quickly and efficiently to address the crisis.