Election campaign of the Vermont Progressive Party

The Progressive Party will field a broad slate of candidates in the November 4th election this year.

In local races, all six Progressive House [b]incumbents[/b] are running for re-election. Rep. Sarah Edwards is running unopposed for her seat in Brattleboro. Rep Susan Davis is in her first re-election bid, running against two Republicans and one Democrat in her two-seat district. Rep. Sandy Haas of Rochester is in a re-match of her 2004 and 2006 race, with her opponent dropping the Republican label this outing to try as an independent. Rep. Dexter Randall of Troy is in a tough three-way race this year. With a democrat in the race we are expecting a lot of Republican interest and money in this district, where Governor Douglas has been active in the past. Burlington Reps. Chris Pearson and David Zuckerman face a similar challenge, with an active Democratic ticket, backed by the Dem State Chair, working hard to defeat them.

Six Progressive [b]challengers[/b] are seeking to double the size of the House caucus next session. Winston Dowland of Holland won his seat in 2004, but lost in a tough re-election fight in 2006. He seeks to return to Montpelier next session. Mollie Burke is running unopposed for a vacant seat in Brattleboro. Paul Cook of Winooski is running in a four-way race with two incumbents. Ellen Garneau of Pittsford is seeking to unseat Republican Peg Flory in a head-to-head match up. Cindy Weed of Enosburg is running for the seat vacated by conservative Democrat Avis Gervais. Nancy Potak of Craftsbury is in a rematch of her 2006 race, in which she came within 60 votes of defeating the incumbent Republican to take one of two seats in her district.

Two Progressives are seeking seats in the [b]Vermont Senate[/b]. John Block of Montpelier is attempting to unseat of the incumbents in the three-seat Washington County Senate district. Burlington City Councilor Tim Ashe is running for the open slot in the six-seat Chittenden County Senate district. He has both the Progressive and Democratic endorsement, and in the Dem primary outpolled the candidate backed by the Dem leadership.

Statewide, longtime party activists are running for all six races. Backing Anthony Pollina in his bid as an Independent for Governor are Richard Kemp (Lieutenant Governor), Marjorie Power (Secretary of State), [b]Charlotte Dennett[/b] (Attorney General), Don Schramm (Treasurer), and Martha Abbott (Auditor of Accounts) all running as Progressives.

And finally Thomas Hermann is running for Vermont's lone US House seat against Peter Welch, who is [b]running as both a Democrat and Republican.[/b] [img]eek.gif" border="0[/img]

[url=http://www.progressiveparty.org/]http://www.progressiveparty.org/[/url]

[ 20 September 2008: Message edited by: M. Spector ]