House Speaker Ron Mariano and Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz answer reporters' questions after caucusing privately with fellow Democrats on Oct. 17, 2023. Photo by Sam Doran | State House News Service
As he works deeper into his fourth decade on Beacon Hill, House Speaker Ron Mariano confirmed Tuesday that he plans to run for reelection in 2024 and for another term as speaker in 2025, but declined to commit to serving out his next term, if reelected.
“That remains to be seen,” the Quincy Democrat told reporters when asked if he would serve out the full 2025-2026 term.
Mariano has served in the House since voters first chose him in a 1991 special election. He will turn 77 on Halloween.
Ever mindful of not risking being seen as lame ducks, legislative leaders over the years have often said they intend to stick around, but then suddenly departed. Mariano has witnessed a succession of quick leadership handoffs during his time in the House.
In October 2019, former House Speaker Robert DeLeo said he planned to run again, was reelected in 2020, but then resigned that December, before he was even sworn in for his new two-year term.
DeLeo left office to take a long-rumored job at Northeastern University and created the opportunity for Mariano, his deputy, to become speaker.
DeLeo was able to quickly grab the reins of the House in January 2009, when Salvatore DiMasi, only weeks into his new term, resigned from the House. In June 2011, after a six-week trial, a jury found DiMasi guilty on seven of nine counts in his public corruption case.
In September 2004, DiMasi took the speaker’s gavel from longtime Speaker Thomas Finneran, who resigned in the middle of his term to take a biotech industry job. In January 2007, Finneran pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, receiving a sentence of 18 months of unsupervised probation in connection with his testimony in a redistricting-related court case.
The Massachusetts House has never elected a woman to serve as its speaker.
Senate President Karen Spilka is the third woman to lead that branch, following Harriette Chandler and Therese Murray, the first woman Senate president.
The House and Senate have each discarded rules limiting the terms of their leaders. Murray opted against seeking reelection in 2014 when her term limit was nearing. Sen. Stanley Rosenberg emerged from a group of candidates to win the Senate presidency in 2015. Rosenberg resigned following a months-long scandal in May 2018.
After meeting privately with House Democrats on Tuesday, reporters asked Mariano if he planned to seek reelection in 2024 and reelection as speaker in 2025. “Sure,” Mariano replied to both questions. Two years ago, Mariano was asked the same questions and opened up about the reasons he was eager to stay in office.
After Mariano’s remarks to reporters outside of the caucus, his aides released a short statement.
“The Speaker looks forward to the work ahead the remainder of this term. He intends to run for re-election for his seat and the speakership. He’s grateful to the membership for their collaboration and support,” Mariano spokesperson Ana Vivas said.
On Sunday, during an appearance on WCVB’s “On The Record” program, co-host Sharman Sacchetti asked Mariano how long he planned to remain speaker.
“You’ve been talking to my wife,” the speaker said.
Mariano went on to say there were a “lot of things” he would like to get done, mentioning health care in general as an area of interest and the ongoing “reconfiguration” of hospitals.
“I feel like there are some things I’d really like to sink my teeth into and put on what we hope to be the right track,” Mariano said.
