State Legistlative Leaders Foundation

Legislative News From Around the Nation

March 2, 2010
Michigan Speaker Announces Candidacy for Governor
On Sunday, February 28, Speaker Andy Dillon announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination to be the next governor of the state of Michigan. Dillon, finishing his second term as Speaker of the Michigan House, is forbidden by term limits from seeking another term in the legislature. He is considered by many observers to be the most moderate of the Democratic aspirants.
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March 1, 2010
Massachusetts Senate Republican Leader Running for Lt. Governor Post
Richard R. Tisei, the Republican Leader of the Massachusetts Senate is running on the ticket with Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker. First elected to the Massachusetts House at the age of 22, Tisei has been in the Senate since 1990. He cites as his major accomplishments helping to craft an overhaul of the state’s welfare laws in 1993 and his sponsorship of a whistleblower protection law. He has served as Minority Leader since the 2006 election.

February 26, 2010
Pennsylvania Speaker Urges Feds to Allow Tolls on I-80
Rep. Keith McCall, speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is urging federal transportation officials to reject "political opposition" to the tolling of Interstate 80 and approve the controversial tolls because Pennsylvania transportation projects urgently need the money.  He wrote to federal Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood a few days ago, urging him to ignore opposition from "a vocal minority of our congressional delegation" and approve the tolls."While I understand their desire to fight on behalf of their constituents,'' Mr. McCall said, "it is imperative that your office review this application [for tolls] in the proper context and with the foresight to look at the larger picture of the Commonwealth's best interest at the core -- the jobs and infrastructure improvements that the Commonwealth so desperately needs ... There can be no worse time to restrict funding options or to take away options for states nationwide ... ."
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February 25, 2010
Former California Speaker Considering Run for State Treasurer
Fabio Nunez, former Speaker of the California Assembly, has expressed his interest in becoming the next Treasurer of the state of California. According to Nunez's spokesman, the former Speaker has filed paperwork to form a fundraising committee to seek the office in the 2014 election.  He would be seeking to succeed Bill Lockyear, a former CA Senator, who will be termed out of the position.
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February 23, 2010
Former Florida Speaker Sansom Resigns from House
On Sunday, February 21, Rep. Ray Sansom, former Speaker of the Florida House, resigned from that chamber. On Monday, February 22, the legislature was to begin an ethics trial concerning Sansom's relationship with a college in his district. The move, rendered in a letter hand-delivered by Sansom's attorney to the Capitol shortly before 8 p.m., ends a legislative career that once put Sansom near the apex of Florida politics but unraveled in scandal as he took a job at Northwest Florida State College on the same day in November 2008 that he was sworn in as House speaker. Sansom did not acknowledge wrongdoing, but said he was stepping down out of love for the House. The resignation was effective immediately.
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Former Speaker Thrasher takes over Florida GOP
This past weekend, the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) elected former House Speaker and Senator John Thrasher to serve as its chairman. Thrasher takes over for former Chair Jim Greer who resigned over pressure regarding his spending habits, fundraising efforts and attempts to influence some party primaries. Following a highly contested race, Thrasher takes over a party that is quite divided and facing an internal audit of its finances.
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February 22, 2010
Former Iowa Speaker Drops out of Race for Governor
On Friday, Rep. Chris Rants, former Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, announced that he was dropping his bid for the Republican nomination for Governor of the Hawkeye State. He is the fourth Republican to drop out since former Governor Terry Brandstadt indicated he was interested in the position. In announcing his withdrawal, Rants suggested that his efforts to get the nomination were futile and it made little sense to continue the effort. He insists that he will not seek to regain his seat in the legislature, which he has held for 18 years.
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