Democratic congressional candidate Peter Welch took a page out of Republican Martha Rainville's playbook Tuesday. Not wanting to yield that issue to the former head of the Vermont National Guard, Welch held a news conference on the topic of homeland security.

With the Montpelier Fire Department as a backdrop, Welch called for more federal money for first responders. Since Sept. 11, 2001, local first responders have had more responsibilities, he said, while the Bush administration has put the resources into the war in Iraq.