The election of Dale Schultz to Speaker of the Senate over the current Speaker Scott Fitzgerald by the Republican caucus should be a warning to the absolutist management tactics that have dominated recent legislative sessions within the Capitol. His election ushers in hope the Senate will continue to be an independent body that thoroughly debates policy and will not be bullied by its leadership. This will help to offset the State Assembly, where Republican Speaker John Gard is forever pulling the puppet strings to have his members vote as he sees fit.
Gard is notorious for punishing representatives whose votes are inconsistent with the Republican Party line in either administrative or campaigning functions. The prevailing fear was that if Fitzgerald, who has a close relationship with Gard, had been re-elected majority leader, there would be drastic changes within the Senate that would shift the body toward the iron-fisted motivations of the ultra-conservative assembly speaker.
Schultz made it known publicly that he would challenge Fitzgerald for the position, and his announcement was welcomed by moderate Republicans who saw their positions on the verge of being marginalized in many policy areas. While Schultz is likely to have before him a legislative agenda that yet again consists of divisive social issues-conceal and carry, gay marriage and the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights being the most prominent-it is the manner in which he will approach and moderate over the issues that is making moderate Senate Republicans and Democrats alike excited over Schultz's taking the majority leader's post.
Schultz's nomination and subsequent election as speaker should be taken as an assertive statement by Senate Republicans who look to argue that the crushing primary election defeat of the former Senate majority leader, moderate Republican Mary Panzer, is not to be taken as an overarching mandate for a shift farther to the right in Republican policy, as Fitzgerald and Gard maintain. Schultz will be an excellent voice to have in the Speaker's chair. He will encourage and facilitate open discussion and debate over the issues at hand in an era of partisan in-fighting that disallows crossing of the proverbial aisle.
We support the election of Senator Schultz to Speaker of the Senate because, unlike Fitzgerald he will more readily allow his members to vote using their own conscience, reasoning and intellect. Furthermore, Gard, the puppet-master, will have his hands far away from the Senate's pie.
