With candidates lining up to replace Gov. John Engler in next year"s election, proposed legislation to extend Michigan"s term limits would allow Engler to seek a fourth term in office.

The governor currently is prevented from seeking re-election because of the term limits initiative approved by Michigan voters in 1992. That amendment to the state constitution limits governors to two four-year terms, although Engler was allowed to run for a third term in 1998 due to his first term beginning before the limits went into effect.

A proposal by an original supporter of the initiative, Sen. Glenn Steil (R-Grand Rapids), would extend the term limits for the Legislature and state offices, including the governor, to 12 years, and, due to its grandfather clause, would allow Engler to seek a fourth term in 2002.

But Steil"s office said that that was not the reason for the legislation.

"It"s certainly not the intent of this thing," said Steil spokesman Brandon Stewart.

Susan Shafer, Engler"s press secretary, said the governor would most likely not run again, even in the event of the extension"s approval.

But Michigan Democratic Party spokesman Dennis Denno said the governor cannot be taken at his word.

"During the 1994 campaign the governor said that that would be his last campaign for governor," Denno said. "He quickly broke that promise when he ran again in 1998."

Sen. Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem Twp.) said the chances of Steil"s proposal getting on the ballot for a special election this year a date which would be required for Engler to run for another term are slim.

"I think if you are looking to kill a proposal that language will kill it," said Smith, who plans to run for governor.

Since Steil"s proposal would also extend the term limits for members of the Senate to 12 years, Smith expected the House of Representatives many of whose members would not be serving had it not been for term limits to change the provision so that sitting officials would have to relinquish their seats.

"They are going to say to the Senate, "This was your bullet and you are going to bite it,"" she said.

Expectations are that Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus will announce his candidacy this summer. Republicans had generally expressed glee that Posthumus would be the consensus candidate among Republicans while Democrats would likely be facing a competitive five-person primary.

Those hopes were shattered this week when Senate President Pro Tem John Schwarz announced he would be filing papers with the secretary of state"s office to make a run for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

"It is something I have always wanted to do and this is the time. The governor"s seat will be open and I think that for a moderate Republican it is an excellent opportunity," he said.

Schwarz, a practicing physician and former mayor of Battle Creek, said that while he agrees with Posthumus "99 percent" of the time, there are several important differences and that as a candidate, he hoped to steer the Republican Party toward the mainstream.

"I think the Republican Party has got to take cognizance of the fact that Roe v. Wade is settled and move on from that," he said.

Schwarz also said he opposes Michigan"s new concealed weapons law signed by Engler. "Because I want to have one is not a good reason for a gun board to issue a concealed weapons permit," he said. "There"s got to be a reason."

Schwarz, however, emphasized the issues on which he has been in agreement with the Engler administration. Those issues include welfare reform, the environment and fiscal conservatism.

Schwarz will likely receive the support of U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), whose successful Michigan presidential primary campaign Schwarz chaired. He said that although he had not requested that McCain campaign for him, he hopes that he will.

Matt Resch, a spokesman for the lieutenant governor, said Posthumus" "timetable" for making a final decision on a gubernatorial campaign is not affected by Schwarz"s announcement.

"He is going to continue to go about his business as lieutenant governor and consider all of the options," he said.

But Denno said Schwarz"s announcement revealed a rift within the Republican party. "It shows that not everybody agrees with Dick Posthumus" far right-wing opinions," he said.