For the two Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor, there is life after an election loss.

John Tracy of Burlington, a soon-to-be former legislator who was eliminated from contention for the state's number two job in the September Democratic primary, will start a new job next week.

Tracy becomes an outreach staff representative for Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, working from the senator's Montpelier office, according to Chuck Ross, director of Leahy's Vermont operations. Tracy will be responsible for networking with groups involved in health, education, human services and veterans affairs.

Meanwhile Matt Dunne, a soon-to-be former state senator who defeated Tracy in September only to come up short of the votes needed to oust incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, said Tuesday he's taking his time considering his options.

"I have a couple of consulting gigs that I had lined up for November and December," Dunne said. He has a lot of wood to get in, he added.

Dunne had wrapped up his work as associate director of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Social Sciences at Dartmouth College in the summer and devoted himself to his campaign during the fall.

Dunne said his career to date has focused on entrepreneurship, service and politics and he expects to continue in one of these areas. Whatever he does, he said, he will be rooted in Vermont.

-- Nancy Remsen