Jon Copans, fresh from a post-election break on the beaches of the Dominican Republic, confirmed Thursday that he is leaving his job as executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party.

That means there are openings at the helm of both parties, as Republican Party Chairman Jim Barnett leaves tomorrow to work for presidential wannabe John McCain.

Copans, 32, who grew up in Brattleboro, has been the day-to-day operations person for the Dems for almost four years, or two election cycles, as he thinks of it. He's been working on Vermont campaigns for four cycles. Democrats have no arguments with the results Copans' team produced this year.

Copans said he's not sure what he wants to do next, though he'd like to stay in Vermont. He'll stay on until a successor is named, unless a better offer comes along first.

Some good successors are at hand, he said. This election attracted an unprecedented number of quality campaign workers, Copans said, and it makes sense for him to leave while one of them is still around to take the job.

These are the sort of jobs that require youthful exuberance and the willingness to do even the smallest of tasks, along with political savvy and durable skin. Thoughts on what sort of person either the Dems or the GOP should be looking for?

- Terri Hallenbeck