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As widely expected, Senate Democrats elected Sen. Martin Nesbitt their majority leader today.

“Nothing earth-shattering has happened,” the Buncombe County Democrat told reporters immediately after emerging from a closed-door session with the caucus he’ll now help lead.

Nesbitt quickly confirmed what we all suspected: he would not serve as rules chairman as his predecessor, Sen. Tony Rand, did. This indicates that power will be shared a bit more broadly in this new iteration of the Democratic caucus. President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight did not give any hint who he might appoint to chair the powerful rules committee.

Nesbitt took issue with news reports that described him as a “more liberal” or “less business friendly” figure than Rand.

“In today’s world, labels just don’t work…I’m a mix,” Nesbitt said. Although, he did allow as how “mountain populist” might just fit.

“I do do this, I try to view the world through the eyes of that average person who is trying to make it,” Nesbitt said, adding that “making it” in today’s world is getting tougher.

Nesbitt, 63, turned 33 the year he took his mother’s seat in the North Carolina House. He served there until 1994 when he (and lots of other Democrats) were ousted as part of the Newt Gingrich-lead Republican wave that brought the GOP to power in Washington and elsewhere.

That experience will inform his work as he assumes his role as a lead fundraiser and strategist for Democratic efforts to hold onto the state senate.

“I saw ’94 up close and personal,” Nesbitt said, adding that there may not be anyone more qualified to help shepherd the caucus through what looks on paper to be a tough election cycle.

Nesbitt returned to the House for the 1997-98 session and switched to the Senate in 2004.

He is married, with one son and one stepson. His stepson, Chad Nesbitt, leads the Carolina Stompers, a conservative group formed in 2007 that has taken aim at the state and national Democrats.

Another point of well-known trivia: Nesbitt serves as crew chief for his son, Mart's, stock car racing team.

Click on the player below to hear more from Nesbitt as he talked to reporters today.