The first reports came over the various websites of radio, television, newspaper and political blog sites around 10:15a.m. on Monday morning under the banner “Breaking News.” In most cases the words were in red and italics signifying this was a fast moving story.
AP NewsBreak –
(Reporting from the State Capitol) - Governor Storm Abernathy(D) signaled he intends to run for election to a full term in 2012 during a brief meeting with reporters here.
Abernathy, who assumed office following the sudden death of Governor Brendan Smythe(D) served as lieutenant governor for seven years. Many in state political circles had believed he intended to retire from public life once Smythe’s term came to an end. Abernathy’s decision appears to lay the ground work for a potentially divisive primary campaign with state Senator Gary Stewart(D) who announced his intention to run last week.
“I’ve been in and around state and local government for nearly thirty years,” Abernathy told the capitol press corps just steps from his office, “I have a clear vision of how to make this state and our state government better and I could not live with myself if I passed up this opportunity to make a difference by seeking my own term.”
Acknowledging the tragedy that brought him to office, Abernathy said the sentiment behind the words he delivered in Smythe’s eulogy has been “echoing in his head,” as he assumed office and began making the day to day decisions of state government, as the state’s chief executive.
In his remarks at Smythe’s funeral, Abernathy told the audience Smythe would want everyone to seize the opportunity in their own lives to make the world a better place as the major lesson to be taken from his untimely death.
“I realize there are other candidates in the race, or about to get into the race, but I am convinced my agenda is in tune with what the majority of voters are looking for right now. No other candidate is going to be as prepared as I am to continue to lead going forward and, in many ways, I have a head start. People will be able to see my approach to government in the coming months, during the coming legislative session and beyond and I think they will find it refreshing. Different. I think they are going to want to sign me up for another four years.”
Abernathy’s decision seemed to have been prompted by an effort last week by Senator Stewart to force him out of the race. Abernathy refused to speculate about a Democratic primary, or to offer any extensive comments on Stewart. He simply said, “I have respect for Senator Stewart and he is going to do what he is going to do. I can’t control that, but I am sure he understands that an incumbent governor will have certain advantages in a general election and perhaps in the coming weeks he will reconsider his plans.”
A spokesman for Stewart said the senator would have no comment on Abernathy’s announcement. He said Stewart was “busy preparing for the upcoming legislative session,” which begins next week.
Abernathy said he would make a formal announcement about his candidacy at the end of the session in April. He said he had hoped to delay any talk of a 2012 campaign until that time to keep gubernatorial politics out of the upcoming session, but realized that would not be possible once Stewart publicly forced him to acknowledge his intention to run.
The winner of a Democratic primary is expected to face Republican Congresswoman Maureen Livingston(R) who has been preparing for a statewide campaign over the past several months.
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Across the street from the state Capitol, in the Kaminski Legislative Office building and in Washington, D.C, in the Rayburn House Office Building, Senator Stewart and Congresswoman Livingston read the breaking news.
Stewart turned to his long time aide and said, “I didn’t think he had it in him. We need to accelerate our plans. We have to get to the donors before they take sides. We need to do the oppo research on this guy as soon as possible. We need to make his life miserable. Maybe we can convince him he doesn’t really need this crap at this point in his life. You know, the difference between his pension and his full time salary is only 20 grand. This is a bad decision for him personally. We gotta show him there’s an alternative.”
From Livingston’s office on Capitol Hill, you can see the dome of the U.S. Capitol through the trees. Especially at this time of year. Sitting alone in her office, she thought Abernathy’s decision was good news. The Democrats are going to spend the next six months kicking each other while I raise money and build a campaign team. It’s going to be a close race, but now I have the advantage and I haven’t even gotten in.
Her mentor in politics, her mother, the first female congresswoman from her state, told her the job of governor is the greatest and most important job in elective politics other than president. She never had a chance to run for the job, but now, Livingston thought, it was within her reach. She turned her chair toward the window facing the Capitol building and said to herself, “It’s time to go home.”
