Projo Politics Blog

Rumors of his departure are premature.

Thus spake House Speaker Murphy late last week, as rumors once again began to circulate of his departure from both the speaker’s aerie — and the legislature itself — after his current term ends next year.

After a question was put to his press office, an amused Murphy, D-West Warwick, personally called Political Scene to say that unless he got “hit by a RIPTA bus” he had every intention of running for reelection to the House — and to the speaker’s rostrum — in 2008.

Beyond that? Even though there are no term limits on legislators, Murphy, currently in his fifth year as speaker, said he sees merit in the eight-year term limits on the governor and other general officers and would think about relinquishing the reins after completing his eighth year in what has been called the state’s most powerful political post.

“When I came in I said eight years would be a good number my first year,” said Murphy, citing his support for a bill introduced early in his tenure that would have extended the 8-year term limits to the speaker and the Senate president. “Eight years is a good number for me. At least one more full term I hope you have me to kick around.”

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