Hugh Morrison relishes role as a `renegade Republican’

His detractors say he’s “John Martin’s Republican,” a Republican legislator who votes more often with Democrats than with his own party.

But Rep. Hugh A. Morrison, R-Bangor, prefers to compare himself to Sens. Bill Cohen and Margaret Chase Smith when they took independent-minded positions on impeaching President Nixon and opposing McCarthyism, respectively.

Asked if he’s about to switch parties, Morrison replies, “It’s always a possibility.”

But Morrison appears comfortable with his role as a different kind of Republican, a thorn in the side of the establishment who abhors the term “maverick.”

The genial, 58-year-old retired airline pilot says he’s ruffled plenty of feathers in Augusta, but it’s only to better represent a constituency that runs the gamut from rich to poor in Bangor.

House District 119 includes the Capehart neighborhood, the Bangor City Hospital, elderly housing and several large trailer parks in addition to more affluent neighborhoods. Party enrollment is evenly split between Democrats, Republicans, and independents.

“The district runs from some of the most wealthy people in town to some of the poorest. It’s a complete cross-section of constituents,” said Morrison.

Elected in 1990, Morrison quickly grabbed headlines as a Republican who opposed Republican Gov. John R. McKernan’s proposed budget cuts in 1991, the year of the infamous three-week state shutdown.

This year, Morrison was the only House Republican to support longtime Democratic House Speaker John L. Martin in a critical vote to see if Martin would be removed from office as a result of the ballot-tampering scandal in which a top aide was convicted. Martin survived that March vote by only six votes.

Recently this summer, Morrison was one of only two Republicans in an entourage (that included 20 Democrats) led by Martin to the National Conference of State Legislatures annual meeting in San Diego, Calif.

Hard-core Republicans scoff at Morrison for lack of loyalty, but he sees the endless attacks on Martin as unfair.

“I have never, ever seen the side of John Martin that people elaborate on,” said Morrison. “John has always been fair with me. I have not seen this terrible side of John Martin. I’ve never seen him coerce anybody. He’s far less of an arm twister than the Republican leaders. He’s had an unfair rap from the press.”

Morrison says establishment Republicans dislike him so much that some party insiders even backed his primary opponent in 1992.

He prefers to style himself a moderate rather than a liberal and says the Maine Republican Party is dominated by rural conservatives.

“It appears there is little room for moderate Republicans in Augusta,” he said. “I’m uncomfortable with the Republican leadership in Augusta and it’s fair to say they’re uncomfortable with me.

“I believe my primary responsibility is to my constituents, whether it agrees with the aims of the Republican Party. The needs of my constituents come first. Up to this point, there certainly has been a role for a different kind of Republican, one that is independent enough to stand up for his constituents.”

While party activists may dislike Morrison, he’s apparently well-liked at home.

“I get very few complaints from constituents who think I have done anything wrong,” he said. “If anything, they admire my independent spirit.”

Morrison said one of the most satisfying things he’s done in the Legislature was to work for the group that succeeded in restoring some funding for a wide range of children’s services.

He plans to seek re-election in 1994.

“I enjoy this job immensely,” he said. “What I enjoy the most is to be able to intervene for a constituent and accomplish things they are not able to accomplish themselves.”