Should Mr. Dodd choose to make a run for governor, he would be among three Democratic senators from the New York region giving thought to such a leap, particularly in the wake of Tuesday's elections, when Republicans expanded their majority in the Senate with a net gain of four seats.
The other two, Senator Jon Corzine of New Jersey and Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, are said to be dispirited over their continued minority status - as well as the reality that their party does not appear to have a shot at winning the majority any time soon.
Mr. Dodd, Mr. Schumer and Mr. Corzine are highly ambitious men. Their potential departure from the Hill underscores how impotent Democrats now feel in Washington.
"People are just giving up," said one Democratic strategist who has been a key adviser to Senate and House candidates from the New York region. "They're realizing that they may be able to accomplish a lot more from a governor's mansion than from Capitol Hill."
Mr. Dodd, 60, has been in the Senate for 24 years, making him one of the chamber's more senior members. But his prospects of ever reaching a position of power in the Senate are increasingly remote for several reasons.
He has little chance of becoming chairman of any major committee in the Senate, even if Democrats were to win the majority. He has a seat on the powerful Foreign Relations Committee, for example, but he is third in seniority among Democrats on that committee. He also has a seat on the influential Banking Committee, but he is only the second-ranking Democrat on that panel. He is the senior Democrat on the Rules Committee, but it is not a major committee.
Mr. Dodd would not comment for this article, but when reporters raised the topic earlier this week, he said, "My plan is in the Senate." But one senior adviser to the senator, speaking on condition of anonymity, made it clear that running for governor was an option that Mr. Dodd was seriously weighing.
"Many people in the state would love him to do this for a variety of reasons," the aide said. "But there are an equal number of people who are urging him to play a senior role for the party nationally, potentially running for president in '08."
"Look at what happened to us in the last election," the adviser continued. "And he's truly in the middle of talking to friends, listening and trying to sort through where he can best make a difference."
George Jepsen, the head of the Democratic party in Connecticut, said that he believed that Mr. Dodd was considering a run for governor after speaking to him. "There's a very legitimate chance that he runs for governor," said Mr. Jepsen. "If he does, he's the 800-pound gorilla, and he would be a great candidate and a fantastic governor."
Should Mr. Dodd win the governorship and then leave his Senate seat, he would be able to choose his own successor. Party leaders say the most likely candidates would be the state attorney general, Richard Blumenthal, or Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro, whose district includes New Haven.
"Chris has said that it's something he's seriously considering," said a member of Congress who recently discussed the matter with Senator Dodd. "I think that, given the choice between being a member of the Senate minority and being governor, it might seem irresistible." A senior member of the Connecticut's Congressional delegation said that Mr. Dodd had made it clear to others that he would seriously consider running for the governorship if Democrats failed to take control of the Senate or if he did not ascend to the post of minority leader.
"I'm not surprised he's doing this," said the lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. "Chris just hasn't had the energy he use to have in the Senate. He has not come across as though he likes his job, frankly."
Another top Connecticut official echoed those sentiments. "I've heard people close to him say is considering it because of the partisan makeup of the Senate, the lack of civility in Washington and the opportunity for leadership in the state capital in Connecticut."
In an interview, Mr. Blumenthal, the state's attorney general, said he had not spoken to Mr. Dodd about the matter and declined to speculate about the senator's plans.
"If he decides to do it, he would be a leader of unique vision and courage at a time when the nation needs that," Mr. Blumenthal said. "And he would immediately be a governor of national stature because of his extraordinary talents and experiences."
The last Democrat elected governor in Connecticut was William A. O'Neill, who served from 1980 to 1991. He was followed by Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., a former Republican who was elected as an independent and served from 1991 to 1995. He was succeeded by John G. Rowland, a Republican who took office in 1995 and who was forced to resign last summer as he faced an impeachment inquiry and a federal corruption investigation into his relationships with people doing business with the state.
The current governor of Connecticut, M. Jodi Rell, took office in July upon the resignation of Mr. Rowland, who is still under federal investigation. Mrs. Rell, a Republican, may run for the governorship, and a number of Democrats have already mounted extensive fund-raising campaigns. But party leaders say Mr. Dodd would by far be their first choice and the strongest candidate. |
