November 13, 2012

King may declare his party choice Wednesday

By announcing his decision Wednesday, King may be able to participate in leadership elections

By Kevin Miller kmiller@mainetoday.com
Washington Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON – He was likely asked the question more than any other during a campaign that drew national attention: Would Angus King, as an independent U.S. senator, align himself with the Senate's Democrats or Republicans?

click image to enlarge

Sen.-elect Angus King, I-Maine, center, the former governor of Maine, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012, to meet with Republican Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine to discuss committee assignments and how they'll work together to represent Maine in the Senate. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

On Wednesday, King may finally answer that question.

"I am going to try to," he told reporters Tuesday when asked whether he would announce his decision in time to participate in Wednesday's selection of party leaders. "I am having some further discussions today and will probably have some comments for you sometime tomorrow."

King's staff said late Tuesday that the independent senator-elect from Maine will hold a press conference at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday near the Senate chambers, although the topic of King's talk was not specified.

Many lawmakers, Capitol Hill staffers and congressional observers will be surprised if he doesn’t decide to caucus with the Democrats, even though the two-term governor indicated again Tuesday that he hadn’t ruled out joining the Republican caucus.

Some organizations already lump King in with the Democrats to give the party a 55-to-45 edge over Republicans in the Senate.

(Continued on page 2)

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