OPENING SESSION TUMULTUOUS

JEFFERSON CITY -- A dramatic battle for control of the Missouri House of Representatives that will continue today could result in Mark Richardson of Poplar Bluff taking over the powerful speaker's post.

Richardson's election would be highly unusual because he is a Republican and Democrats control the House 87-76.

But Richardson and other Republicans have forged a coalition that included about a half dozen Democrats disgruntled with longtime Speaker Bob Griffin.

Election of a speaker is normally a routine event at the opening of a new session. Speaker decisions are usually made at party caucuses weeks earlier.

But on Wednesday, when it came time to vote for a temporary speaker, Republicans nominated Zane Yates of St. Louis County to challenge Rep. Gene Copeland of New Madrid, the Democratic nominee. Republicans thought it would be easier to make their play for the speakership work if they have a supporter presiding.

Newly appointed Secretary of State Rebecca Cook of Cape Girardeau has the ceremonial responsibilities by state law to call the House into session and preside over the normally routine election of temporary speaker. She left the voting board open for three hours and five minutes before adjourning the House at 4 p.m. with Copeland and Yates tied at 81 votes.

Instead of voting for Griffin for an eighth turn, a few Democrats are apparently poised to vote for Richardson, the House minority leader.

In exchange for their support, the maverick Democrats reportedly would have some say in deciding committee chairmanships, which would come from both parties.

Under past House rules, the speaker has had the authority to appoint committee chairman, and they are always from the majority party.

"Our goal is to elect Mark Richardson speaker," said Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson.

Schwab said Richardson would be a better speaker than Griffin because he would seek input from both parties. Schwab and other Republicans have complained that under Griffin's reign Republicans have been ignored.

Griffin, speaking in the side gallery of the House chamber Wednesday afternoon, said he was confident he would have the votes to win. He also said Richardson was doing little in the spirit of bipartisan cooperation with his power play.

Rep. Larry Thomasson, D-Kennett, the House majority whip, said the struggle for speaker was centered around the people upset at Griffin who wanted to get back at him even at the expense of fellow Democrats.

"It's about some disgruntled people trying to seize control of the Missouri House," Thomasson said.

Republicans hoping to keep their members in line met in caucus one hour before the session convened and entered the chamber as a group. Only two Republican members defected and supported Copeland.

"It's an old-fashioned Mexican standoff," Richardson said shortly after the House adjourned and the Republicans prepared to caucus again. "We just have to see who blinks first."

Copeland, senior member of the Missouri General Assembly, said he understood the battle for temporary speaker wasn't directed at him but at Griffin.

"I know it's nothing personal, there are just some disgruntled Democrats," he said.

"Our strategy has nothing to do with my good friend Gene Copeland," Richardson said. "We just believed we needed someone else presiding to get a fairer vote for speaker."

Members of both parties were expecting a battle over speaker but Republicans caught Democrats completely off guard by firing their first shot in the election of temporary speaker.

"We talked over a lot of contingencies, but this was not one we talked over," Thomasson said.

The House will convene today at 10 a.m., and what happens next is uncertain. Cook will continue to preside.

Leaders of both parties spent Wednesday night devising strategies to hold their votes and gain others. Party leaders also are trying to determine how their members will vote once the temporary speaker stalemate is broken and it comes time to choose the real speaker.

Griffin supporters do have one other vote in Majority Leader Bob Ward of Desloge who is in a St. Louis hospital recovering from heart surgery. There were rumors he would be flown in to cast the deciding vote.

The Capitol was also filled with rumors about possible scenarios that could occur in the battle for speaker. If no deals are made, the battle could carry over until next week.