Updated at 2:30 p.m.

BRUNSWICK -- John Richardson, who led the Maine House as speaker and more recently held the post of top economic development officer for the state, announced his candidacy for governor today."I’m running for governor because I know that together we can make the lives of Maine people better, and my record of accomplishment shows that I can get the job done,” said Richardson of his decision.The Brunswick Democrat was elected to the Maine House in 1998 and served for eight years, the last two as speaker. He then took on the job of commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.

9:48 a.m.

John Richardson, a Brunswick Democrat and commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, plans to announce today that he is running for governor.

Richardson has scheduled a rally for 11:30 a.m. today at Maine Street Station in Brunswick to announce his campaign, which will stress the need to create jobs.

"This campaign is and ought to be about who can create jobs," Richardson said in a statement about today's announcement. "I have a proven track record of doing that, and I have a clear vision of how to get all of state government working toward that goal."

Richardson is a former speaker of the House of Representatives and House majority leader.

He joins a Democratic field that includes former Attorney General Steven Rowe of Portland, Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell, Rep. Dawn Hill of York, Donna Dion of Biddeford, Rosa Scarcelli of Portland and Eriq Manson of Old Orchard Beach. They are competing to replace Gov. John Baldacci, who must step down because of term limits.

Richardson is an attorney who had worked with the law firm Troubh Heisler in Portland. There he worked for several labor unions, including police unions and the Portland Newspaper Guild, which represents most workers at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram.

Richardson was elected to the Maine House in 1998 and served for eight years, the final two as speaker.

Richardson said his early work as a legislator included securing bonds for economic development and affordable housing. As speaker, he helped broker the LD1 spending limits and introduced the bill that created the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority.

In his three years leading the state's economic development efforts, he has worked to improve coordination between different development organizations and worked to keep businesses operating in Maine, his campaign statement said. He also cited his efforts to get the MERC trash incinerator to modify its operation to reduce its impact on Biddeford and produce environmentally responsible energy in the process.

Richardson, 52, is married and has three children.

Staff Writer David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:

dhench@pressherald.com