Newly elected lawmakers have more electing to do

AUGUSTA – Expected recounts mean the outcome of Tuesday’s legislative elections is not quite settled, but lawmakers are gearing up for new rounds of voting anyway.

Democrats and Republicans were still analyzing unofficial Election Day results, and observers on both sides said Thursday there could be half a dozen or more recounts in races for the House of Representatives.

Losers have until Tuesday to make their requests.

Preliminary tallies give Democrats a bare majority of 76 in the 151-member House. Republicans seem to have taken 73 seats, with one going to a Green Independent and one to a candidate not enrolled in any party.

The preliminary tally of Senate elections has Democrats retaining an 18-17 edge over Republicans. That split could stand without any recount.

For the general public, voting is over. But for newly elected lawmakers, there is more to come.

The new Legislature is due to be sworn in on Dec. 1. Among the first orders of business will be election by the Legislature of a state attorney general, state treasurer, state auditor and secretary of state.

Three of the four incumbents – Secretary of State Dan Gwadosky, Auditor Gail Chase and Treasurer Dale McCormick – are precluded by Maine’s term-limits law from seeking new terms. Only Attorney General Steven Rowe is eligible to continue serving.

Traditionally, members of the Legislature’s dominant party support their party’s nominees in such elections. But when the margin of control is tight, suspense builds and occasionally an upset happens.

In 1978, Democrat Rodney Quinn won election to the post of secretary of state over Republican Linwood Palmer despite a narrow numerical advantage for the GOP in the combined makeup of the House and Senate.

Quinn went on to serve for a decade.

This year, even before the new Legislature convenes, the House and Senate Democratic and Republican blocs will meet to choose leadership teams. First up will be the Democratic House caucus, which is slated to meet Wednesday.

Vying for the Democratic nomination for speaker of the House are John Richardson of Brunswick, who is the current House majority leader, and Ben Dudley of Portland, an Appropriations Committee member.

Term limits have Speaker Patrick Colwell, D-Gardiner, stepping down.

Looking to move into Richardson’s current slot are Glenn Cummings of Portland, who is House chairman of the Education Committee, and Patricia Blanchette of Bangor, who could be the caucus’ only upstate candidate for a leadership job.

Assistant Majority Leader Robert Duplessie of Westbrook faces a challenge by Nancy Smith of Monmouth, who is entering only her second term in the House.

House Republicans are expected to hold an organizational caucus a week later on Nov. 17.

The current GOP floor leader, Rep. Joe Bruno of Raymond, lost a bid for a state Senate seat, but Assistant Minority Leader David Bowles of Sanford is set to return.

Senate caucus meetings are still to come.

Democratic candidates for openings among the state’s constitutional offices include Reps. Matthew Dunlap of Old Town for secretary of state and David Lemoine of Old Orchard Beach for treasurer.

Republican interest in the vacancies has been less obvious. One mentioned as a possible candidate for constitutional office is outgoing Sen. Richard Bennett, R-Norway.