PROVIDENCE — Rumors persist that House Speaker William J. Murphy will step aside from the most powerful political position in Rhode Island before the 2010 legislative session ends, to give a leg up to his chosen successor, House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox.

Murphy could easily make the rumors go away. He has not.

When first asked the question in a telephone interview on Sept. 30, he said: “I will be on the rostrum in January.” Through June? “I have to go,” he said, and hung up.

He called back a few minutes later, with this lawyerly variation on his initial answer: “I will be the speaker in 2010.”

But neither he nor his spokesman, Larry Berman, have responded directly to repeated follow-up questions about what that meant, and whether he, in fact, intends to remain on as speaker through next year.

On Oct. 6, Berman answered this way: “Murphy said not to pay attention to the rumors.”

Asked both that day and the next to please “produce a statement saying he intends to stay on as speaker THROUGH the 2010 session,” Berman wrote: “No, no statement.”

Referring back to Murphy’s earlier statement — “I will be the speaker in 2010” — he wrote: “That’s what he said to you in the interview. He said to tell you anything else is just rumor.”

Last Thursday, he was asked again: “Can you confirm that Speaker Murphy intends to remain as speaker for the duration of the 2010 legislative session?” Berman’s reply: “I have given you the same answer every day.”

On Friday, he said: “I have nothing to add other than the statement I gave you: ‘Don’t listen to rumors.’ ”

For what it’s worth, House Minority Leader Robert Watson, R-East Greenwich, says he ran into Murphy at court last week, and the speaker told him “he would be there for next year’s budget debate … which is not to say we can’t take up the budget in March, April or May with plenty of time for all the political maneuvering that is required to get the transfer of power a fait accompli.”

When asked where he believes the race to succeed Murphy stands between House Majority Leader Fox and Rep. Gregory Schadone, Watson joked that “as minority leader [he] is usually the last to know what the Democrats” are doing, but he said “the last I heard Gordon is stuck at 28 and [Schadone] is stuck at 18, which leaves many confused members yet to make up their minds.” He was unsure of Rep. Stephen Ucci’s standing in the mix.

Schadone responded: “There has been a perception over the past few weeks that [Fox] had enough votes. That is absolutely not true … I do not believe he has 28 votes. And I do believe I have more than 18.”

Fox suggests otherwise, saying he is still “working hard to become the next speaker … leaving no stone unturned and … meeting with every member that I possibly can … in order to build a strong consensus” even though “I am beyond the necessary 38 votes needed.”

But, “I am not going to release individual names at this time, nor an exact vote count that grows on a daily basis,” he said. The victor will have to win over more Republican and Democratic votes than anyone else in the 75-member House.

Governor hopefuls opine on a casino

Potential battle lines are forming over casino gambling in the race for governor.

Weighing in on the day Governor Carcieri, the state’s most visible opponent of casino gambling, said he would not try to block a referendum to allow full-scale casino gambling at Twin River, there were these responses from three of his would-be successors:

A spokesman for Republican-turned-independent Lincoln Chafee said: “Linc’s position is that the voters already weighed in on this issue in 2006 and it should not be a ballot item in 2010.

“While state revenues look bleak, to keep revisiting this issue as a solution is not the answer to the state’s economic woes. The voters made their position clear in 2006 and it should be honored,” said Chafee spokesman James DeRentis.

On the Democratic side, spokesmen for Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch and General Treasurer Frank Caprio voiced support, with caveats.

Lynch spokesman Mike Healey said, “Philosophically, Attorney General Lynch has no objection to seeing this question put to the voters. Legally, however, as he’s had to do twice in the past [i.e., the two legal skirmishes over Harrah’s/The Narragansett Indian Tribe’s proposed casino], he may be actively involved in reviewing the specifics, the wording, of any potential ballot question.”

A spokesman for Caprio said, “Treasurer Caprio is in favor of putting the expansion of gaming question on the ballot if it first meets with approval from Lincoln town officials and the Rhode Island Lottery. It has to make sense from a business and revenue perspective.”

Asked if Caprio believed it made sense from a business and revenue perspective, spokesman Tim Gray said: “Yes.” Asked to elaborate, he said: “At this time, Treasurer Caprio is going to stick to the previous two answers he gave you.”

Governor getting to be Fox regular

If you’re looking for Governor Carcieri on any given afternoon, you might try Fox News.

Rhode Island’s governor, a Republican, has become a frequent guest on the “Fair and Balanced” network, appearing at least half a dozen times on the station’s Neil Cavuto Show in recent months.

Most times he’s talking about the Ocean State’s fiscal woes, though last week –– appearing by phone as his photo flashed across the screen –– the governor spoke about the recently brokered agreements with the state’s employee unions.

We here at Political Scene figured it was time to ask why Neil Cavuto is so enamored of Carcieri.

Show staffers didn’t respond to requests for comment, but Carcieri himself was glad to clear up at least some of the mystery.

“He’s a Barrington guy,” the governor tells Political Scene. “It’s true. What can I say. He likes Rhode Island.”

RIPEC dinner seen as political magnet

Now that the General Assembly has postponed its upcoming special session, Rhode Island’s political players will have plenty of time to go to the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council’s 66th-annual dinner on Thursday.

Given the high-profile speaking lineup, we here at Political Scene predict a full house.

Governor Carcieri, Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed and House Speaker Murphy are scheduled to deliver remarks.

Former Hasbro Inc. CEO Alfred J. Verrecchia, who now serves as chairman of its board, as well as chairman of the board of Lifespan, will be the keynote speaker, his address focusing on economic development. Verrecchia is also leading the search of a new director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. He is a former RIPEC president.

We’ll keep you posted on how it goes.

Caprio’s campaign adds, loses staff

Caprio’s unofficial gubernatorial bid now includes a new field coordinator.

The campaign confirmed the addition of 27-year-old Providence native Brian Bass, a former staffer for Hillary Clinton’s primary campaigns in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

“I grew up down the street from Frank, and have always admired his commitment to our community. After spending the last two years on the road … I’m honored to be a part of his effort here at home,” Bass told Political Scene, noting that his official start date was Oct. 1.

A Rhode Island College graduate and high school football standout at Classical High School, Bass will earn $3,000 per month including benefits.

The Caprio campaign also notes that Bill Fischer, of True North Communications, is no longer a campaign spokesperson. Fischer, whose clients include the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility, Woonsocket’s Landmark Medical Center and the fledging Mayoral Academy in Cumberland, was brought in over the summer on a month-to-month basis.

“I notified them last week that due to some new clients I picked up, due to pure workload, I could no longer fulfill that role,” Fischer told Political Scene. “From the beginning, it was clear that it was likely to be on an interim basis.”

cneedham@projo.com