Meehan Not Likely to Run For Governor in 2006 if AG Does

by David Tamasi

WASHINGTON - His campaign account has almost $1.9 million in it and he has not faced serious opposition since his first race in 1992. He flirted with a run for governor in 2002, but state House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran disrupted those plans by attempting to redraw his district. A potential run for governor in 2006 could be thwarted by yet another Democrat.

Congressman Martin Meehan, D-Lowell, said that while he would "certainly look at opportunities to run for higher office," don't expect him to run for governor if his former boss, state Attorney General Thomas Reilly, does. Meehan served as Reilly's first assistant district attorney in the early 1990s,when Reilly was Middlesex district attorney.

"I not only worked for Tom as his chief prosecutor, but he is a close friend," Meehan said. "The likelihood that Tom and I would run for the same office at the same time is highly unlikely."

Federal law prohibits Meehan from using money in his congressional campaign account for a statewide race. But his large war chest could keep some prospective opponents at bay while allowing him to gain clout in Congress by contributing to other Democratic campaigns.

Meehan raised $57,000 from July 1 to Sept. 30, according to his Wednesday filing with the Federal Election Commission. Meehan said he did not have as much cash on hand as he had two years ago, and was looking "to get back to that level in the next year."

Meehan, who faced nominal opposition in 2002, said he expects two Republicans to vie in next year's primary for a chance to run against him in November.

Carl Forti, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, did not identify any Meehan opponent but said Republicans would be "looking at potential candidates up until the May 4 deadline of next year."