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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


11.30.2006

 

Dem departure

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

Comments:
Whoever takes over for Jon Copans has some very big shoes to fill. He leaves a democratic congressman, a "democratic" senator, a veto-proof dem majority in the legislature, and an auditor's race too-close-to-call in his wake. Whoever takes over for Barnett has no place to go but up.
 
and the e-mail newsletter improved tremendously when Jon took over.
 
I kind of hope that the next ED is more agressive.

Jon's a good guy and did a good job but I want the party to have a sharper, clearer message which is conveyed to voters faster.

Burska's influence has been positive in this way.
 
Jon did a great job. I also agree that Andy Bouska has been a strong addition to the team. It'll be interesting to see how the restructuring goes down, especially given that the Dems won by almost any standard.

I won't miss Barnett. I think the media will though, since they were more than willing to put ANY quote of his in any story, not matter whether or not it was germane to the subject at hand. He was willing to toss out quotable bull and it seemed that the media was all too willing to snatch it up and print it.
 
Change is good - period.
 
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