I get the question everyday. “So, do you think Bill Richardson is going to run for the U.S. Senate seat.”
My answer? “No, I just don’t see it happening.”
Of course, anything is possible, but it just wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense. I can’t be the only one struggling to see Governor Richardson in the Junior Senator role. Think about it, can you imagine Bill Richardson comfortably taking a backseat to Senator Bingaman in public forums? Me neither. Senator Bingaman has always played second fiddle to Senator Domenici, but Bingaman is not a flamboyant character like Richardson. Governor Richardson does not know how to wait patiently in the wings:
Richardson in Philly: I didn’t actually see this while viewing Tuesday’s televised debate from Philadelphia on MSNBC, but the Associated Press reported that after not being called on for the first 20 minutes of the debate “… Gov. Bill Richardson threw up his hands in protest that he hadn’t been called on either and exchanged a frustrated glance with (Dennis) Kucinich.”
If the Governor found his Philly experience frustrating, its not hard to picture how disheartening he is going to find his years as a freshman Senator. And, as a former member of Congress, he knows just how ignored and far from center stage he is going to be.
No, I just don’t see Richardson signing up for that. I think he’ll hold out for that Secretary of State appointment. Does that mean he’ll be coming back to the Land of Enchantment in February? No, I think he’ll quickly jump on the bandwagon of the leader, probably Hillary Clinton, and campaign all over the country for the Hispanic vote. Campaigning is something he does well.
Then, if he doesn’t get a cabinet appointment, I think he’ll take a job in the private sector as the CEO of a Fortune 250 company. After all, as was recently pointed out to me, that’s one arena that remains unconquered.