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Miller Might Not Be The Retiring Type
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. said that his fundraising letter "speaks for itself."
(Rob Carr - AP)
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"I don't know what's in his head or in his heart," Frosh said. "I know he's raising money for Democrats, and that's a good thing."
Miller has been hedging for more than a year on whether to stick to his retirement plan. During a lunch with Washington Post staff members last May, he said that many of his constituents had been urging him to reconsider his decision.
"My concern is my district," said Miller, who represents part of Prince George's and Calvert counties. "They may say, 'He's a jerk, but he's our jerk.' "
Currie said Miller has continued to express concerns about future representation of his district, should he decide to retire.
Currie said he and other senators have also come to better appreciate the value of Miller's fundraising abilities heading toward what could be a tough election for some Democrats in 2010. O'Malley's job-approval rating has sagged in the wake of a special session in the fall in which taxes were raised, and several senators are expecting to be hammered on that issue.
"There is no one else who can raise that kind of money," Currie said of Miller, whose fundraising prowess could be undercut if it becomes clear he is not returning.
A report filed on Miller's fundraising last year has helped fuel the speculation about his future.
In January, he reported raising nearly $400,000 during the previous year. That was more than Miller raised during the first year of his previous term and more than twice the haul of his counterpart, House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel), who reported raising just over $150,000 in the period.
Miller said at the time that the money would be used to help his colleagues, whether he decides to run or not.
"A general doesn't leave the battle without giving his troops the weapons to defend themselves," Miller said. "I'm like the Marine Corps. I don't leave anyone behind."
