A week after taking up the gavel, House Speaker Mark Eves seems to have settled in as if he plans to stay awhile. In an interview at his State House office, the 35-year-old speaker, a family therapist who lives in North Berwick with his wife and three young children, seemed quietly confident and self-assured.

If there was tension in the air — and with Gov. Paul LePage in the building, there’s bound to be — it wasn’t affecting this ambitious young Democrat.

Eves won a four-way race for in the Democratic caucus on the first ballot — a notable feat, and his standing was enhanced when Ken Fredette, a young lawyer from Newport who was chosen House Republican leader, endorsed his candidacy.

Eves attributed his selection to “building relationships” with other House members – what every candidate for leader tries to do.

He then added that the caucus saw him as “a strong negotiator” as lead Democrat on the Health and Human Services Committee, who was also “willing to compromise when needed.”

Both abilities will be vital.

Eves and Fredette have gotten off on the right foot. They knew each other during the last session — Eves’ second, and Fredette’s first — from negotiations over Medicaid and other human services issues; Fredette was a rare first-term Appropriations member.

And in selecting Fredette over former Speaker Robert Nutting and another old-timer, Paul Davis, Republicans also served notice that they want some distance between themselves and the governor. While several Republicans put up a fight against LePage’s more extreme notions in his first year, they largely gave in during the second — a decision that contributed to the pounding they took on Nov. 6, losing 20 House seats.

So the stage is set for some cautious bipartisanship, at least at the Legislature. Eves knows the drill.

Asked about his personal priorities, he came back to the same ones his party has emphasized for years — access to better quality health care, strong support for public schools, and a sound energy plan. If he has a private agenda, he’s not sharing it.

LePage made headlines — dubious ones — by refusing to meet with either Eves or Senate President Justin Alfond before their ceremonial swearing-in. Asked if he, like Alfond, had invited LePage to dinner, he chuckled and said, “That’s not my style.” He’s leaving his door open and said, about a LePage meeting, “We haven’t scheduled it yet.”

Eves believes the federal Affordable Care Act provides a good template, and he thinks the state should take full advantage of it. A state-sponsored health insurance exchange would have been beneficial, but, he said, “That ship has sailed” with LePage’s refusal to sanction one. “The federal authorities will do a good job setting up the exchange,” Eves said. “With a couple years of experience, we’ll know whether it makes sense to transition to a state exchange.”

About expanding Medicaid rolls to AFA-supported levels, which would bring in another 40,000 Mainers — and reverse LePage’s strenuous attempts to cut the rolls — Eves says it should happen, and he believes it will, though he’s in no hurry: “That’s the kind of thing we’ll be talking about over the next few months.”

But the federally paid expansion makes sense both from health and economic perspectives. “It benefits providers, it benefits hospitals. It benefits Maine taxpayers and consumers, and, of course, will lead to a healthier state,” Eves said.

While relatively new to politics, Eves has studied the speaker’s job. He seems aware that a great deal of work must be applied simply to keeping the place running — balancing seat and committee assignments, getting bills out of committee, scheduling partisan caucuses when things are tense. The goal he sets for himself: “To run the House in a way that’s fair and honorable.”

Since legislative term limits arrived 20 years ago, no House speaker has served two full terms. Eves may have that opportunity, as he’s well aware, as does Alfond. Consistent leadership could provide a small boost for a Legislature that has fallen behind the Governor’s office in terms of power and press coverage.

Eves was ready when asked about the 2014 campaign for governor. Democrats faced criticism for fielding nominees in the 2010 governor’s race and the 2012 U.S. Senate race who both finished third, with less than 20% of the vote.

“Democrats will have a strong candidate for governor in 2014,” Eves said, calling both current U.S. House members, Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud, “strong candidates.”

It’s quiet at the State House this month. But come January, Speaker Eves will be ready.

DOUGLAS ROOKS is a former daily and weekly newspaper editor who has covered the State House for 28 years. He can be reached at [email protected]