John Richardson has lots of friends in the Legislature. Unfortunately for him, they may be the wrong friends.
Richardson is a Brunswick lawyer with political ambitions beyond his current job as speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. He wouldn’t mind serving in Congress. He could see himself as governor. But Richardson is a Democrat, and Democrats already hold those positions. So, until a slot opens up, he’ll have to bide his time. And he’ll have to do that biding from someplace other than the speaker’s office, because he’s being forced out of the Legislature this year by term limits.
Returning to civilian life, where Richardson makes his living representing labor unions, isn’t an attractive option. After a semi-successful two years at the House rostrum, he’s as hot right now as he’s likely to get. As one pol who’s been through a hiatus from public life put it, “The body cools off quickly after political death due to term limits.”
So, Richardson needs to stay visible for the next few years, while awaiting his shot at the big time. He has a couple of options.
He could campaign for Democratic Governor John Baldacci’s re-election, after which he would likely be appointed to replace Jack Cashman, who’s making return-to-the-private-sector noises, as commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. Of course, the last person to use such an appointment to leap to political fame was, uh ... let’s see ... nobody.
Or he could run for attorney general. “John’s been very clear to me he’s not ruling that out,” said Glenn Cummings, the House Democratic floor leader. The AG’s job is filled by the majority party in the Legislature, a group that likes Richardson, so he ought to have no trouble winning the post if Democrats retain their numerical edge after the November election.
Except for one problem: There’s already a Democrat occupying that spot, and he doesn’t plan to leave.
Steve Rowe, himself a former House speaker, has announced he wants another two-year term as AG, and he appears to have enough support among incumbent Dems to get it. “There’s no doubt that if the election were today,” said Democratic state representative Janet Mills of Farmington, “Steve Rowe would win hands down.”
But the election isn’t today. It’s in December, after new legislators are sworn in. Richardson has worked hard recruiting House candidates, which is unusual for somebody who won’t be returning to the Legislature next session. Speculation is he’s lining up votes from the grateful newbies. “Richardson has had every candidate in for a little breakfast, a little talk,” said one veteran Democrat. “He makes them feel part of the process.”
In addition to the rookies, Richardson has other potential sources of support. Rowe has annoyed a few Democratic legislators from Aroostook County by opposing a new trial for convicted murderer Dennis Dechaine. He’s upset some pro-business Dems by pursuing legal actions against the pharmaceutical industry and trying to block the sale of Adelphia Cable to Time Warner. He hasn’t made many friends among Democratic supporters of the gambling industry.
While each cell of disgruntled Dems is small, their backing in the AG’s race could be crucial if the new Legislature is closely divided. That’s because Richardson has another group of potential allies:
