What's next for Gov. Dave?

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

By Jason Miller

Now that Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal is in his second term, speculation will start to bubble up about what he’ll do next. In the interest of jump-starting the speculation, I thought I would examine some of the various doors that could open for Wyoming’s governor when his term is finished in 2010.

He’s only in his 50s, he was educated on the East Coast and he’s an attorney. So there are a lot of possibilities for Governor Freudenthal in Wyoming and in Washington, D.C.
In 2008 there will be a rare event: Both of Wyoming’s U.S. Senate seats are up for election, plus our U.S. House seat. Governor Dave’s term takes him through 2010, so he would have a free shot at challenging Barrasso, Enzi or Cubin. He is a proven vote getter and fundraiser. His national party would likely align behind him.

But it’s hard to run as a Democrat in presidential years. Especially when your party’s national nominee is Hillary Clinton and she wants to take away your guns and ban pick-up trucks. Governor Dave might be shrewder to wait until his term is up and run in 2010 as a moderate Democrat. Only the Congressional seat will be open then.

In 2010, the other statewide elected positions will be open. In 2006, the incumbents basically swapped seats, so Governor Dave would have to face a proven vote-winning Republican incumbent for a position he might not even want, like Wyoming Secretary of State. So continued service in the state of Wyoming seems out, but he could find work elsewhere.

Governor Dave could also turn to the private sector. He could get a straight job and practice law or teach. But he could also cash in on his political capital and experience. It is becoming almost too common for former governors to move to Washington and begin lobbying for the interest groups they used to regulate. Former Montana Governor Marc Racicot lobbies for the American Insurance Association. Iowa’s Tom Vilsack is a lobbyist for the teachers unions. Michigan’s John Engler works for a manufacturer’s interest group. And William Weld of Massachusetts does lobbying work at a private law firm.

Perhaps Governor Dave could be a lobbyist for some coal or energy trade group in Washington, D.C. Or he could influence legislation in the state in exchange for cash.
It might sound unethical, but everybody else is doing it. Peer pressure and a massive salary boost have been known to turn public servants into self-centered lobbyists. Governor Freudenthal could be a very attractive candidate for the top post at many interest groups.

Maybe Governor Dave will hope for a Democrat to be elected president in 2008. As a sitting governor and former United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming, Governor Dave is qualified for the attorney general’s post. The U.S. Attorney is a part of the Department of Justice, which the Attorney General heads, and is effectively the official federal lawyer and prosecutor. It could depend on how the governor plays his cards in terms of making endorsements.

Barack Obama seems a better president to appoint the governor because Obama is a far-left liberal and will need to cast himself as a moderate to govern the nation. Governor Dave is at least described as a moderate Democrat in the national media, plus there might be some affirmative action points for being from Wyoming as Democrats look to make more gains in the West. It would certainly be a shrewd move and would likely draw praise from media sources throughout the Mountain West.

One can only assume that Hillary Clinton already has corrupt lawyer cronies lined up for the Attorney General post. But Governor Dave could also qualify for a different cabinet appointment, like Secretary of the Interior, just for being the Democratic governor of Wyoming. In the worse case, he could end up with a sub-cabinet post directing some boring program in D.C. There are a surprisingly large number of political appointments that incoming presidents get to make.

Whatever path Governor Dave chooses after office, we can be sure he’ll do just fine.
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