BREAKING: Lisa Marraché Abandons Leadership Election, Own Campaign

I have received word this evening that Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Marraché, one of the Maine Senate’s leading Democrats and a candidate for the next election for Senate President (assuming the Democrats retain control of the body) is dropping out of the leaders race and in addition is not running for re-election this term.

My source said that the reasons for this move are unknown at this point, but that it is an interesting development because Marraché was an up and comer in Democratic politics who was angling for a potential future run for Governor.  Apparently there was a conference call today with leadership and staff to discuss her decision to drop out, and a replacement for her in the general election has already been selected.  Early rumor is that the replacement will be Waterville Representative Pam Trinward.  The Republican running for that Senate seat is Thomas Martin.

Democrat sources I have talked to speculate that she is dropping out of the leadership race – and ultimately re-election – is because she has felt pushed out by the leadership election.  It seems that the writing on the wall is that the next Senate President will be (again, pending a Democratic hold in the Senate) Bill Diamond or current Majority Leader Phil Bartlet, and her attempt at capturing leadership would be unsuccessful.

It still seems odd that she would go a step further and not run for re-election based on being shut out of being Senate President (especially since my source also claims that if she had simply run for Majority Leader she would have likely had enough support to get elected to that post).  It sounds as though there is a little more to this story than I have been able to uncover as of yet.  Others I have spoken to have wondered if it is a matter of health or fear of losing her re-election.  I doubt the latter, and of course if it is the former, we wish her the best and always hope for good health into the future.

Another source claims that this is hardly a surprise, because Marraché has a full time job as a doctor, and her position in the Maine Senate was always a difficult act to juggle.  She apparently didn’t want to run for the position in 2008 but was convinced to do so with a promise that she would be in leadership.  With her being shut out, it seems possible she no longer thought it was worth her effort.

The interesting thing about this development, however, is how it will effect the 2010 Senate elections in Maine.  Marraché’s district includes Waterville, and with the presence of Paul LePage at the top of the ticket, this raises the question of whether or not he will be able to carry this area for a Republican candidate who is not facing an incumbent.

For what it is worth, my source for this story feels like this development greatly increases the chance of a Republican being swept into office in District 25, which interestingly might make the debate about the next Democratic Senate President a bit irrelevant.

Still, Pam Trinward is a popular figure in Waterville, and coasted to re-election in 2008.  This will still be a difficult race in all liklihood, but this development certainly shakes things up, both in inter-party Democratic politics as well as the statewide landscape for 2010.

More details when they come.