House Speaker Robert DeLeo patted Majority Leader Ron Mariano on the arm during a legislative briefing in February 2020. Photo by [Sam Doran | State House News Service

On the verge of leading an institution he has served in for 30 years, House Majority Leader Ron Mariano pushed back Tuesday against the notion that his politics are not progressive, and suggested he would be more willing to move bills to floor votes without building an overwhelming consensus around the legislation first.

Mariano, a Quincy Democrat, is poised to be elected the next speaker of the House on Wednesday, after spending 10 years as former House Speaker Robert DeLeo’s top deputy and the number two Democrat in the House. The speaker of the house is generally regarded as one of the three most powerful figures in state politics.

“I view this as the culmination of my lifetime in public service, from a grunt that went out to help get people elected early on, to someone who voted on policy, now to someone who can make policy,” said Mariano, a former teacher and Quincy School Committee member.

DeLeo built a reputation over the years as a go-slow consensus builder on major policy issues, and rarely put legislation on the floor of the House for a vote unless he was confident it was supported by a supermajority of the House.

Mariano said his approach to advancing legislation might be the “biggest difference” between his style of leadership and DeLeo’s approach, saying he would not necessarily shy away from close votes, which have become a rarity over DeLeo’s 12-year tenure. Mariano also said he would be “in the chamber more” than DeLeo was during his tenure as speaker.

“I would probably move things without the supermajority…just to expose the issues and debate some of these issues. I think that will be another bit of a difference you’ll see between me and my predecessor,” Mariano said.

Activists and some industry figures have criticized DeLeo for slow action on measures like the Housing Choice zoning reform or transit funding, in addition to more progressive policies.

Mariano rebutted criticisms leveled by outside progressive groups in recent days that his leadership would be a continuation of a centrist agenda on Beacon Hill that has frustrated more liberal Democrats during DeLeo’s tenure.

“Look at my track record. I was the only representative south of Boston along the coast that voted for gay marriage when no one was voting for gay marriage. It’s issue by issue. Am I progressive? I don’t know. I don’t label myself. But if you look at my career I don’t shy away from taking a difficult vote,” Mariano said.

He said his first order of business after the leadership vote Wednesday will be to continue overriding the governor’s budget vetoes and to finalize as many of the remaining conference committee bills as possible before the session ends on Jan. 5.

Those bills include economic development, clean energy and transportation financing legislation.

“Then moving forward, my issues will be the same. Health care and the community hospital situation, I’m very concerned about, their survival and prospering in these difficult times. And my involvement in clean energy, especially around wind. I think we have an opportunity to be a leader in wind energy and we’re foolish if we don’t take advantage,” Mariano said.