Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen
3.09.2010
Markowitz on campaign kickoff tour
These days candidates no longer campaign. They do tours.
Deb Markowitz, Democratic gubernatorial candidate, held a campaign kickoff event Monday in Barre and then set out on a loop around the state -- a two-day tour. To read an account of her kickoff event, go here.
Markowitz is one of five Democratic candidates vying for the party's nomination to run against -- presumably -- Republican Brian Dubie, who has also been on one long business tour this winter.
One line in Markowitz's speech Monday in Barre raised a question in my mind. She declared, "I'm not a professional politician."
Markowitz has held elected office for a dozen years. That's been her job. So what is the definition of a professional politician? Who is one and who isn't?
Let me revise a previous posting. Things went down like this:
An e-mail arrived today from "Host Committee, DebforVermont" announcing a "Campaign Kick Off Party" for Deb Markowitz, Democratic candidate for governor. It would be held at 6 p.m. March 9 at Coffee Enterprises in Burlington. Recipients of the e-mail were being asked to save the date. A long list of names was given as hosts of the party. Prices were listed in coffee terms from $100 for "tall cup" up to $1,000 for host.
I posted a blog item about this and noted it was at the exact same time as an event Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Dubie was holding for his 51st birthday for a donation of $51 per person. (An e-mail about that had arrived earlier in the week and I hadn't gotten around to noting it, so this seemed like an opportune time.)
This prompted an e-mail from the Vermont Republican Party criticizing Markowitz for charging for her campaign kickoff event, contending that this put her out of touch with ordinary Vermonters and saying that Dubie's eventual kickoff would be free.
Which prompted an e-mail from Markowitz campaign manager Paul Tencher to me saying I had misunderstood - the Coffee Enterprises event was actually just the end of a two-day campaign kickoff jobs tour for which details would be released next week (it will be in Barre and it's free), though no mention of that was made in the original e-mail (and my chances of guessing that were pretty small).
He followed that with a release criticizing the Vermont Republican Party for an "early political attack."
How many square miles are in Vermont is the latest gubernatorial hot topic.
The Republican Governors Association pulled out its first piece of weaponry in the campaign today with an email to media taking Democrat Deb Markowitz to task for a fundraising letter that asks supporters to give $1 for every one of Vermont's 9,351 square feet.
But wait, RGA spokesman Tim Murtaugh says:
In reality, Vermont’s geographic footprint is 9,609 square miles, according to the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing’s website and St. Michael’s College. Interestingly, Markowitz’s e-mail pitch differs in its description of Vermont’s size as compared to her own Secretary of State website’s Kids Pages, which claims the state to be 9,614 square miles.
But wait, Markowitz campaign manager Paul Tencher says:
The U.S. Census has another number: 9,250 square miles. It is pretty sad that while 6.4 percent of Vermonters are out of work, Republicans in Washington are attacking Deb for an email sent to supporters about how she will create jobs, while Brian Dubie and Jim Douglas continue to fail at this task. We are glad the RGA pays close attention to Deb's strong fundraising record though.
Which doesn't quite explain where the 9,351 figure came from.
Indeed, if you search the Interweb you will find many answers for Vermont square mileage, including 9,249, 9,615, 9.609. All of them seem to agree Vermont is bigger than New Hampshire.
Emily's list, Tom's troubles, Peg's Senate seat, more
Endorsements mean to lot to Markowitz
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Markowitz won the endorsement Monday of Emily’s List, a national political action committee founded in 1985 that supports pro-choice, progressive female candidates.
Markowitz has been lobbying the group for its endorsement for some time, but said Monday she hadn’t expected a decision until spring. She welcomed this “early endorsement” because it means money and practical advice will be headed her way, she said.
“It is going to be a tremendous help to the campaign,” Markowitz said.
In the 2007-2008 cycle, Emily’s List reports it raised more than $43 million to support women candidates and mobilize women voters to turn out and vote.
Markowitz, who is secretary of state, is one of five Democrats vying for the party’s gubernatorial nomination. The other candidates are Sen. Susan Bartlett, Sen. Doug Racine, Sen. Peter Shumlin and former Sen. Matt Dunne.
Bartlett said she didn’t seek an endorsement from Emily’s List. “I believe this race is going to be decided by Vermonters, not by big out-of-state special interest groups,” she said. “I’m going to stick to trying to raise all my money in state.” She added, “I am confident that when we have a race between good ideas and grassroots support against out-of-state special interests in Vermont, good ideas and grassroots will win every time."
Markowitz said she has plenty of in-state support — more than 1,000 Vermont donors. She said Emily’s List was persuaded to support her because of the strength of her local support. For more information on Emily’s List, visit HERE.
Former Gov. Madeleine Kunin also made her endorsement of Markowitz official Monday. “Having Gov. Kunin’s endorsement means an awful lot to me,” Markowitz said. “She has been my inspiration.”
Markowitz said she became acquainted with Kunin in 1982 when Kunin and her family frequented Pauline’s Restaurant where Markowitz, in college at the University of Vermont, waitressed.
Kunin gave Markowitz a ride from the airport once, having recognized her from the restaurant. During the ride, Kunin talked about the need for women to take risks if they were going to achieve power. It wasn’t good enough to be at the tables of power, Markowitz recalled Kunin saying. “We have to be at the head of the table.”
Markowitz said Kunin made her promise that if she every had an opportunity to lead, “that I would be brave enough to take the risk and do it.”
— Nancy Remsen
The Salmon saga
As wide-ranging as it was, state Auditor Tom Salmon’s Nov. 20 part-confessional, part-confrontational news conference left some nagging questions.
Just as he was claiming he was all about transparency, the water around him was growing murkier. It raised questions about what was going on with this public official who, just back from a Naval Reserve tour in Iraq, switched political parties, made some unpopular budget suggestions (casinos at Killington, cutting unemployment benefits) while portraying himself as the mediator, then got stopped for drunk driving.
We take a look at some of those nagging questions.
Ö First, the video camera. Salmon’s staff was videotaping the Nov. 20 news conference, which was unusual. Salmon defended it, saying the video might come in handy to post on the Auditor’s Office’s Web site as an example of accountability, though it was hard to imagine why one would want to post a video of a news conference that was mostly about his Nov. 13 drunk driving arrest and his foray into and out of personal financial debt.
As Shay Totten of Seven Days reported last week, Salmon’s office bought the video camera June 5 (for $559.92) to tape other speeches, one of which was a June 11 campaign fundraiser in Burlington at which he reported raising $5,150 from political supporters.
At that event, Salmon thanked the crowd for getting him elected last year while he was away in Iraq, and suggested he had his eye on the governor’s office. “If I ever get to the big office, I’ll tell you right now, I’m going to be about reform and honesty and commitment, and I appreciate your help with me getting there,” Salmon said in the 13-minute recording. “I may raise $200,000 as auditor, and if I have anything left it will be for the next pursuit and I hope you will help me get there.”
Should he be using a state video camera at what was clearly a campaign event? Other politicians say it’s a line they are conscious not to cross. “It’s something I wouldn’t do,” said Attorney General Bill Sorrell, adding that his office has a video camera but he bought his own in case he wanted to use one for campaign purposes.
Sorrell said he didn’t think it amounted to theft of services or anything criminal, however. Martha Abbott, who was the Progressive Party candidate for auditor when Salmon first won election to the office in 2006, said, “Absolutely it shouldn’t be used for a campaign event, are you kidding? That’s public service 101. I think it’s bad, particularly when you’re the person who’s supposed to be the watchdog.”
She noted that it had echoes of former Auditor Liz Ready’s use of a state cell phone for personal calls, for which she eventually reimbursed the state.
Salmon said he doesn’t think there was anything wrong with using the camera, even at a campaign event with cheering crowds, because he might want to use portions of the speech in his official duties. “Any speech anywhere could be used as part of this message about what government is doing,” he said. “It will help tell the story.”
Because people were questioning it, however, he said Friday he would pay the state $28 for his use of the camera at the campaign event, the value his staff figured that 13 minutes of taping constituted.
By the way, Salmon said some of those donors asked for their money back after he switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party in September and he complied.
Ö The debt. As the Nov. 20 news conference ended, Salmon’s staff handed out paperwork explaining the origin of his personal financial problems — he spent $48,000 on Enron stock as Enron was collapsing, a subject Totten had raised the week before Salmon was stopped for drunk driving. Salmon worked his way out of debt, but not before he ran for auditor in 2006. At the time, Vermont voters knew fairly little about Tom Salmon — he was the son of the former governor by the same name, a new Rockingham Selectboard member and a certified public accountant. If the only other thing they had known about him was that he had made a really bad financial move to try to get out of debt, would he have been elected auditor?
“That could have knocked me off,” Salmon conceded. He won that election by just 102 votes, ousting incumbent Republican Randy Brock after a statewide recount reversed the Election Day totals, a first in state history.
Abbott, who came in a distant third in the race, said she didn’t know about Salmon’s debt at the time. Salmon said last week that the Rutland Herald editorial board knew about it but opted not to write about it. He is convinced that the renewed interest in it this fall had everything to do with his change in political parties.
Ö The DUI. Salmon pleaded guilty Dec. 3 to driving under the influence and agreed to pay a $500 fine plus court charges and attend an alcohol education class. He made the unusual step of pleading guilty at arraignment, he said, because he wanted to own up to the charge.
What his court appearance also revealed, however, was that he had told the trooper he had two glasses of wine to drink. A week later at the Nov. 20 news conference, he said he’d had two glasses of wine, two scotches and a coffee/kahlua. Is that full disclosure?
“You think people stop at that time and get out a menu?” he said. He said he signed a form that night acknowledging that he was slightly under the influence, a move that he believes more than makes up for the details of what he told the trooper. “The spirit of the night – rigorous honesty.”
Ö The pay cut. When other statewide elected officers took a voluntary 5 percent pay cut last year to match the 5 percent cut that exempt state employees making more than $60,000 were taking, Salmon called it a gimmick. Instead, he contributed 5 percent of his $95,000 salary to charity.
With state budget troubles mounting, this year is different, he said. “I called the last exec pay cut a gimmick because it didn’t go far enough toward a comprehensive solution. As a result, we witnessed great labor struggles,” he said. “Today is different. The VSEA members’ consideration of a 3 percent cut is a testament to them now recognizing the fiscal risks of status quo to the state.”
Last week, he asked the state to decrease his salary to bring in back in sync with that of the secretary of state and treasurer, who took the 5 percent cut last year. Starting Jan. 1, his annual salary will drop from $95,139.20 to $90,382.24, Human Resources Commissioner Caroline Earle said.
Ö The video camera was in action Monday at the Statehouse, where Salmon’s office was taping the Joint Legislative Government Accountability Committee meeting. The panel is working, at Salmon’s suggestion, with a consultant on restructuring state government. The video will be needed, Salmon said, to sell legislators and the public on the ideas.
“It’ll show people how this bipartisan process led to the state dealing with its fiscal crisis,” he said.
Salmon said it irks him that such efforts don’t gain the attention that the DUI, the debt, the video camera. “We have a tsunami headed toward the beach and people are wondering about 13 minutes of tape,” he said.
The jury is still out on which tape will loom larger: the one he took at a campaign event with a state-owned camera or the one about government restructuring. Sorrell noted that while an underling might be disciplined for using state-owned equipment, the voters are the ones who decide whether to discipline a statewide elected officer.
— Terri Hallenbeck
It will be Sen. Flory come Jan. 5
Gov.Jim Douglas appointed Peg Flory, a Republican state representative, to a Rutland County Senate seat. She replace Sen. Hull Maynard, R-Rutland, who retired with a year to go in his term.
Flory has been in the House for nearly a decade.
Rutland Republicans had proposed three potential replacements for Maynard, with Flory as their first choice. The other nominees were William Meub and Tom DePoy.
“I want to thank Governor Douglas for the tremendous privilege to serve the people of Rutland Country in the state Senate,” Flory said. “I will continue to work hard during the upcoming session to fight for the county as we work to deal with the State’s difficult economic situation.
The people of this region have been hit hard and I want them to know that I am going to do all I can to support efforts to encourage economic growth and fight against higher taxes.”
Flory is an attorney in private practice. She has served on the House Judiciary Committee for most of her years in the House and chaired the committee from 2002-2004. She is the widow of Joseph J. Flory and has three sons.
Flory’s move to the Senate, which takes place when the Legislature returns to Montpelier on Jan. 5, opens up her House seat. The town’s Republican caucus will meet soon to suggest candidates for the governor to interview. He is expected to make an appointment early in the session.
— Nancy Remsen
The ‘Google governor?’
ABC News did a story on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Dunne on Tuesday. It was odd in the sense that it was long and detailed, while one might not expect that kind of intense interest in one candidate for Vermont governor by a national news organization. Online commenters also puzzled over why ABC News was doing the story.
Reporter Teddy Davis, deputy director of ABC News’ political unit, said he thought Dunne’s work for Google gave the story national interest. He said he first met Dunne in 2004 and has watched him with interest since. Davis was also versed in details about Dunne’s rivals and watched Deb Markowitz be introduced on stage at a Democratic Governors’ Association fundraisers meeting.
There is great mystery over when or whether the Legislature will vote on the future of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. Well, last week in the Statehouse there was a vote, of sorts.
The Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce was holding a leadership program, giving business people a sense of how the legislative process works by holding a mock session with help from a few legislators and lobbyists.
As chamber Government Affairs Director Cathy Davis recounted, the group was divided into committees to work on a tourism bill. One of those committees was headed by Sen. Vince Illuzzi, R-Essex/Orleans, the master of finding ways to bring up almost any issue, any time, anywhere. Illuzzi’s committee voted unanimously to add an amendment approving Vermont Yankee’s continued operation to the tourism bill.
When the package reached the floor of the mock session, veteran lobbyist and former legislator Jeanne Kennedy questioned whether the amendment was germane to the bill. Legislative rules require an amendment to be related to the main bill. House Speaker Shap Smith, D-Morristown, who was presiding, ruled it was not germane. Does that portend anything?
Gov. Jim Douglas said today that he thinks Democrats are using a new federal law as an excuse to move Vermont's 2010 primary to an earlier date.
Speaking at his news conference this afternoon, Douglas, a Republican, said the Secretary of State's Office should seek a waiver from a new federal law. That law requires general election ballots to be sent out at least 45 days before the election, which would be virtually impossible to do with a Sept. 14 primary and Nov. 2 general election.
The law is meant to ensure that overseas voters, particularly those in the military, have enough time to vote.
Douglas said the state should put into place other means of getting allowing overseas votes to count, including allowing more time after the election for them to come in and be tallied. "We ought to look for other ways to accelerate the process," said Douglas, himself a former secretary of state.
Secretary of State Deb Markowitz has said she plans to ask the Legislature to move the primary up when it reconvenes in January. Markowitz has been urging an earlier primary for years and the Senate agreed to move it to late-August last year in a bill that is pending in the House. If the Legislature doesn't act (or I suppose if the governor vetoes a bill), Markowitz said she'd seek a waiver.
Markowitz happens to be running in a crowded Democratic primary field for governor.
Douglas said he believes Democrats want to move the primary simply to give their eventual candidate more time to recoup before the general election, and are using the new law as cover. None of the other primary dates are good options, he said, arguing that anytime earlier would create a longer election season and an August primary would dampen voter involvement.
Secretary of State Deb Markowitz had to be crying in her tea Monday when Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin announced creation of a fund to help Vermont National Guard members come home for the holidays.
The very next day, Markowitz would be kicking off her office’s "Service-for-Service" project, which encourages Vermont schoolchildren to help Guard families.
Both Markowitz and Shumlin are seeking the Democratic nomination for governor. Both are launching these programs as part of their day jobs, with both citing all the calls their offices have received from families seeking help.
Both, it’s not hard to imagine, would love it if people thought what they were doing was so swell that they support them for governor.
Markowitz kicked off her program in Cavendish, where students raised $1,400 for the Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation, the very same organization that is collecting money for Shumlin’s program.
Markowitz’s program will help the Guard members pay for calls home from Afghanistan. Shumlin’s seeks to fly Guard members home from Indiana for their holiday leave just before the go to Afghanistan.
Are any more of the five Democratic and one Republican candidates for governor raising money for the Guard? Speak now - or wait until tomorrow.
Susan Bartlett, a Democratic state senator who wants to be governor, has hired a couple of Washington-based experts and a Vermont election veteran to help her make her case to voters.
"This is the beginning of the team we will build," Bartlett said. "I view the campaign as a job interview. David, Alan and John will help me share my vision, credentials and strengths with the people of Vermont."
She will use David Heller of Main Street Communications to develop and place all her advertising. Check out Heller's Web Site.
She has hired Alan Secrest of Cooper and Secrest to do polling. The firm doesn't seem to have a Web site, but there are plenty of stories about their work.
John Bauer, local boy, will help her with "message development, fundraising and data management." Sounds like a campaign manager, but she didn't identify him as such. Bauer's local credentials include managing Jeb Spaulding's first bid to become treasurer in 2002 when he had to fend off Democratic rival Ed Flanagan in a primary.
Bartlett, of course, faces a primary. She one of three officially declared Democratic candidates for governor. The others are Sen. Doug Racine and Secretary of State Deb Markowitz. Sen. Peter Shumlin and former Sen. Matt Dunne have all but jumped into the Democratic race, too. Look for their decisions in the next few weeks.
Based on how many staff the announced candidates have already hired, this is going to be one costly gubernatorial election.
A gubernatorial candidate forum planned by South Burlington and Shelburne Democrats has now been postponed because of the death in the family of one of the candidates.
The forum was to have featured Sen. Doug Racine, Secretary of State Deb Markowitz and Sen. Susan Bartlett.
It was scheduled for Thursday night in Shelburne. Democratic Party Executive Director Robert Dempsey said organizers will reschedule it.
Vtbuzz: on financial disclosure, the latest gubernatorial race news and kicking cans and balls
Vermont ranks last for public disclosure of officials’ financials
While five states recently enhanced their financial disclosure requirements for public officials, a Washington D.C. investigative reporting non-profit identified Vermont and two other states as standing out “somewhat notoriously, for, well, doing nothing.”
Vermont law doesn’t require the governor, other statewide officers or legislators to disclose for public review any personal/professional financial information. The same goes for Michigan and Idaho, but the Center for Public Integrity noted disclosure legislation at least comes up for consideration in Michigan and Idaho. Not so in Vermont.
“I’ve never heard a single Vermonter raise an issue about it,” said Senate Government Operations Chairwoman Jeanette White, D-Windham.
Check out the center’s update and earlier reports on disclosure here.
Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, said financial disclosure wasn’t a top priority for his organization, but he agreed that transparency about finances and potential conflicts of interest were legitimate public goals.
Burns recalled the controversy in the 2008 gubernatorial election when Democrat Gaye Symington released incomplete data on family finances, while Republican Gov. Jim Douglas and Progressive Anthony Pollina provided complete tax returns. Burns suggested the state takes a first step toward disclosure by enacting a requirement for all statewide offices.
— Nancy Remsen
Still so many unanswered campaign questions
It’s hard to believe that a year from now, General Election ballots will be on their way to town clerks so early voting can begin. At the moment there are so many unanswered questions about whose names will end up on those ballots.
Take for example, the gubernatorial race, where everyone is waiting and waiting and waiting for Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie to announce whether he’s running or not for the state’s top job.
Will it come this week? “You will hear something this week,” said Susie Hudson, a Dubie political insider.
Meanwhile, Democratic candidates abound. Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin has just about jumped into the race. He has been crisscrossing the state to talk with movers and shakers about his candidacy compared to the three Democrats with hats already in the ring — Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, Sen. Doug Racine and Sen. Susan Bartlett.
“All of them would be great governors,” Shumlin said Monday. Still he confirmed, “I’m strongly leaning toward running.”
“Vermont needs a governor who has run a business, met a payroll,” he explained. Shumlin and his brother run a student educational travel business.
During Monday’s phone chat, Shumlin launched into what would likely be his campaign theme – “Vermont has to stop plodding along and get a piece of the extraordinary job opportunities as we move off our addiction to oil.”
Shumlin said he isn’t afraid of a free-for-all primary with his Democratic friends. “We have a real opportunity to have a civil discussion about where Vermont should go,” he said of the run up to next year’s Democratic primary election. I think Democrats will be strengthened.”
— Nancy Remsen
Candidate updates
If you are keeping tabs on the announced Democratic gubernatorial candidates, note that Doug Racine just hired Brendan Bush, 29, of Original Gravity Media, Inc., to provide him with some Internet strategy. “Bush will redesign Racine’s campaign Website, develop online outreach materials, and work with field director Amy Shollenberger to add to the campaign’s grassroots outreach strategy.”
Also last week, Deb Markowitz released a second video and launched a spread-the-word campaign. She wants supporters to share the link in the hopes her video could go viral.
Susan Bartlett noted her competitors’ focus on the Internet. “It seems to me there is a made dash right now to get high tech stuff because Matt Dunne might get in,” she said, referring for former Sen. Matt Dunne, who now works for Google. Dunne has confirmed he is weighing whether to join the Democratic crowd running for governor.
Bartlett noted that many Vermonters don’t have high tech Internet connections. “My sense is Vermonters will want a good old-fashioned type campaign.”
Bartlett said she still hasn’t hired staff, although she has volunteers who accompany her as she travels the state. “I’m not in a yank to spend money.”
The trio — Bartlett, Markowitz and Racine — are scheduled to appear together before Shelburne and South Burlington Democrats at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Shelburne Town Office.
They will meet individually at closed sessions with members of the Vermont Business Roundtable beginning next week. Roundtable President Lisa Ventriss said the sessions give members a chance to get acquainted with the candidates, understand why they are seeking “this very difficult job” and hear what strengths they offer. As more candidates jump into the race, additional sessions will be scheduled, Ventriss said.
— Nancy Remsen
Local election news
Denise Barnard, former Democratic representative from Richmond who narrowly lost her bid for a Chittenden Senate seat in 2008, was mysterious about her political future Monday.
“I’m tanned, I’m rested and I’m running in 2010,” Barnard said, “ but I’m not telling you what I’m running for — yet.”
She did confirm she wasn’t running for governor.
She said she expected to go public with her plans soon. “I’m very excited about the future.
Meanwhile, Democrat Philip Baruth of Burlington kicks up his Chittenden Senate campaign at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Nectar’s in downtown Burlington.
— Nancy Remsen
Kicking the can or whatever
Secretary of Administration Neale Lunderville said several times recently that he didn’t want to “kick the can” any longer when it came to making tough decisions about labor expenses. That’s why he, in the final negotiations with the union last week, refused to agree to a plan to cut $7.4 million from the current budget without some commitment from the Vermont State Employees Association on cuts in the next two fiscal years.
Jes Kraus, VSEA director, argued, the union and the administration should kick that can in separate talks about the next two-year contract, talks that are already underway.
Up the road from the state capital where the abortive talks took place, a pair of Democratic legislators focused on kicking the ball.
Reps. Sue Minter and Tom Stevens organized a “Causeball” kickball tournament that was held in the rain Sunday, but still raised $2,300 for local food shelves.
“Anybody can plan kickball,” Minter said.
That brings this entry back to kicking the can. Legislative leaders — particularly Rep. Michael Obuchowski, D-Rockingham — have worked the phones to try to bring the administration and union back to the table to resume talks. What about bringing them to a field and let kickball settle the aforementioned kick-the-can question?
Two Democratic gubernatorial candidates crank up their campaigns
In a race that isn't likely to be settled for nearly a year, Democrats Doug Racine and Deb Markowitz continue to up the ante in their competition to become the party's gubernatorial nominee in 2010.
They aren't the only Democrats running. Sen. Susan Bartlett, D-Lamoille, has announced she's in and several other Democrats have said they are considering runs, too. Racine and Markowitz, however, have been at it longer and seem to step up their efforts at about the same moment.
Racine, a state senator and former lieutenant governor, announced this week he had added to his "arsenal." He contracted with Brendan Bush of Original Gravity Media, Inc., in Burlington, as an Internet strategy consultant.
Bush, 29, will redesign Racine's campaign website, develop online outreach materials, and work with field director Amy Shollenberger to add to the campaign's grassroots outreach strategy.
Racine said Bush's credentials include work on two presidential campaigns, numerous U.S. senate campaigns, and two gubernatorial campaigns.
Markowitz, secretary of state, just released an online video she hopes will go viral. She wants supporters to share it with their friends.
The video is a kind of get-acquainted piece. Check it out. I'm not sure it's such a good idea to show Markowitz looking at the camera as she drives, but that's me.
Obviously, their latest campaign additions show that both Markowitz and Racine plan to use more than stickers and whistle stops to reach voters.
Markowitz hires manager for her gubernatorial campaign
Deb Markowitz has hired Paul Tencher, 29, a Rhode Island native, to run her gubernatorial campaign. Tencher begins Oct. 12.
He currently works as communications director for Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-OH, but he said he's ready to leave the polarized world of DC. He's only worked for Kilroy since January.
He has experience on several campaigns, successful and unsuccessful. He worked for a Missouri Democratic congressional candidate who lost in 2008. Earlier he worked for the Rhode Island lieutenant governor, helping her win a primary and then an election. He served as her chief of staff for a year.
Tencher must like a challenge, because Markowitz is far from alone in her desire to run for governor. Other Democrats in the race or giving it serious consideration include Sen. Doug Racine, D-Chittenden; Sen. Susan Bartlett, D-Lamoille; perhaps Sen. Peter Shumlin, D-Windham, and maybe former Sen. Matt Dunne of Windsor, now with Google.
That's just the Democratic competition. We all await word whether Brian Dubie will choose to be the Republican candidate or if there will end up being a free-for-all primary fight there, too.
Tuesday Buzz: on moderates, marriage and a changed political landscape
The monkey wrench in the middle
Gov. Jim Douglas’ announcement last week that he will not seek re-election lit up the phone lines among political aspirants and the people who can help them.
Looking out over the possible new landscape one might wonder whether moderates have a seat at the table. Keep in mind that in recent years, moderates have owned the power to put somebody in the governor’s seat (think Howard Dean, Jim Douglas.
If Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie is the Republican candidate against any one of the Democrats who’ve voiced an interest wins their party’s primary, does that leave moderates nowhere to go?
"It is a concern, naturally," said Sen. Richard Mazza, D-Grand Isle/Chittenden, who is often the man in the middle in the Senate. "One of the things expressed to me by a lot of folks in the store and in the business community is they are looking for someone moderate."
Mazza said he worries that neither Dubie nor some of the Democrats considering a run are the answer.
Charlie Smith, a moderate Republican and former member of Douglas’ cabinet, was not so worried, arguing that Dubie fills the bill. "I view Brian as a moderate and I view myself as a moderate," Smith said.
Mazza, who serves with Dubie on the Senate’s Committee on Committees, disagrees. "Brian Dubie’s a conservative," he said.
Dubie, who is expected to announce soon whether he is running for governor and to whom other Republicans are deferring, has shown conservative stances on social issues, opposing abortion and same-sex marriage. Smith suggested those issues won’t be key in 2010.
"His focus would be on jobs and the economy," Smith said. "I have confidence in his instincts and his values."
John Bloomer Jr., a moderate former Republican state senator who is among those who said he is awaiting Dubie’s decision before making his own, agreed that those issues don’t necessarily close off moderate support for Dubie.
Sen. Phil Scott, R-Washington, whose moderate status earned him a committee chairmanship in the heavily Democratic Senate, put it this way: "He and I may not agree on some issues but he has respect for other opinions and he listens."
Mazza, meanwhile, is worried enough that he’s trying to recruit moderates into the game, including state Treasurer Jeb Spaulding, who has said he would not run.
"Jeb would be a great candidate," Mazza said. "I’m going to talk to him again."
State Auditor Tom Salmon, a Democrat, has made sought to characterize himself as a moderate alternative. Mazza suggested that Salmon has some work ahead of him before is accepted by Democratic brethren.
Three Democrats are already in the race: Sens. Doug Racine and Susan Bartlett and Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, whom Mazza said called seeking his support over the weekend. Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin has strongly suggested he might join them.
Among those, Mazza said he ranks Shumlin the most moderate, despite Shumlin’s near-warfare-level wrangling with Douglas.
"He understands the business community. He knows the landscape out there," said Mazza, who runs a general store in Colchester. "Can he get elected? That’s another issue."
No matter how you rank candidates, Mazza said Democrats need to get together in a room and sort things out before they grow ugly. He suggested that Dean and perhaps Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., could pull the candidates together and figure out the best possible course.
"This is real big turning point," he said.
— Terri Hallenbeck
The call to the bullpen
It’s a powerful thing when people call and suggest you should run for any office, let alone governor, as a number of Vermont politicians have discovered in recent days.
"It certainly is flattering," said Sen. Phil Scott, R-Washington, said he’s had calls suggesting he run for governor or lieutenant governor.
Scott said he is considering it, particularly running for lieutenant governor. On the governor front, he was candid: "I think there’s many more qualified people than myself."
As Scott thought about it, there was another, unique reason being governor might not be a good fit for him. Governors are driven around the state by a trooper and Scott said he likes driving too much to consider giving that up. Not to mention, Scott said, that officials at Thunder Road, where he drives a race car Thursday nights, would never let him sit in the passenger seat for their circuits around the track.
— Terri Hallenbeck
People won’t remember in November — 2010
The consensus among political party officials is that same-sex marriage — which becomes legal today — won’t be an issue in the 2010 election.
No big backlash as in 2000 when opponents of civil union ousted some lawmakers over their votes. "I don’t see it as an overarching issue," said Republican Party Chairman Rob Roper. Judy Bevans, Democratic Party chairwoman, agreed, as did Morgan Daybell, executive director of the Vermont Progressive Party.
"People have a year to get used to it and people wanted it," Bevans said of allowing same-sex marriage. "I think we have moved beyond being challenged on it. We have real problems to solve."
Daybell listed the issues he expects will the front-burner issues for voters — health care, the future of Vermont Yankee and the economy. "Same-sex marriage is going to be eclipsed by those issues."
Roper predicted same-sex marriage would become an issue only in a handful of legislative races if candidates received significant out-of-state money contributions.
— Nancy Remsen
In case you missed it
Free Press photographer Glenn Russell shot video of our interview with Gov. Jim Douglas the day he announced he would not seek re-election.
Nationally speaking: Gov. Jim Douglas’ announcement Thursday that he would not seek re-election set of a flurry of political buzz nationally among those who track states and who controls what some refer to as "the governor’s mansion," though Vermont has no mansion.
CQ Politics is among those that immediately changed its rating of the state to "Leans Democratic" from "Leans Republican." CQ Politics said Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie has proven he can win, "But he also has clashed with Democratic state legislators over his conservative line on law-and-order and social issues — views that could provide ammunition for the opposition in the contest for the much higher-profile governor’s office in strongly Democratic-trending Vermont."
— Terri Hallenbeck
Roar of the crowd
"If Dubie runs, I don't think he will have as difficult a time as CQ politics imagines in this "heavily democratic" state," said politicaljunkie, responding to CQ Politics’ assessment. "If Vermont voters really perceived Dubie as that different from Douglas or some kind of extreme conservative, he would have undoubtedly faced many more defections."
Campaign stimulus plan
Gov. Jim Douglas has done his part to stimulate the economy in Vermont with his announced retirement from political office. Think of all the staff, rented offices, phone lines and placards for the many politicians eying the opportunities from the changed political landscape in 2010.
OK, the pack will shrink so the stimulus may be short-lived. Still, some political hopefuls are hiring for what they hope is the long haul — from now to at least September, 2010.
Democrat Doug Racine, who was in the race for governor whether or not Douglas was the Republican candidate, has now hired his third campaign aide.
Amy Shollenberger, who comes to the campaign with a decade of grassroots organizing and political experience, becomes Racine’s field director. "I’m responsible for getting people engaged," the 38-year-old Montpelier resident said. She will recruit volunteers and supporters. "Basically I ask people to do stuff to help get Doug elected."
Shollenberger wrapped up her work as director of Rural Vermont earlier this summer, so this opportunity came along at the perfect time, she said.
Democrat Deb Markowitz, who got serious about her run for governor last winter, is interviewing to find a campaign manager. She is conducting a nationwide search.
A staffer she hired to get her campaign and fund raising launched has moved on to pursue other career options as expected. He was never a long-term hire, Markowitz said. She has another paid campaign aide.
Democrat Susan Bartlett, the last of the three to declare her intentions, said she’s still relying on volunteers.
— Nancy Remsen
VPIRG counterattacks on health reform
The Vermont Public Interest Research Group doesn’t want Vermonters to feel left out of the national health care battle — so it has launched a series of television advertisements in support of comprehensive reform. Radio ads may soon follow.
Paul Burns, VPIRG’s executive director, said though Vermont’s Congressional delegation strongly supports reform, "We want them to be champions of the very best bill we can get." In other words Burns wants Vermonters to tell Rep. Peter Welch and Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders to hold tight to the public health insurance option rather than throw it overboard in a seemingly futile attempt to win Republican support for a health reform bill.
In his 30-second spot — one of three VPIRG is airing — Burns shoots a dart at Gov. Jim Douglas, too.
"Some angry mobs, insurance industry lobbyists and our own Gov. Jim Douglas are opposing the public plan option that will keep costs down and give Vermonters more choice," Burns states on air.
Burns said he objects to Douglas using his new political weight as chairman of the National Governors Association to promote a position that differs from that of a majority of Vermonters. Burns urges Vermonters to let Douglas know he’s not speaking for them.
— Nancy Remsen
Quote to note:
Gov. Jim Douglas, announcing he wouldn’t run for re-election in 2010.
"But as any farmer knows, after many years — working sun up to sun down, seven days a week — there comes a time to turn over the reins to fresh arms. For me, that time is approaching. After 36 years as a public servant, 28 of those in statewide office, what will be eight years as governor — and through 15 statewide elections — I will have held center stage long enough for any leader. I will not seek another term as governor of Vermont."
Thursday afternoon, House Speaker Shap Smith, D-Morristown, couldn't have been more clear.
When asked if he would consider a run for governor, he said, "I'm planning to run for re-election in the House."
He said he'd received calls from several people suggesting he consider becoming a gubernatorial candidate and apparently the idea started to grow on him. That and he had a chance to talk with his wife later in the day, he said.
Friday he joined those talking about the new opportunities in the "changed political landscape."
"I'm very interested in continuing to work for Vermont. I'm looking at a variety of ways I can do that." Running for governor is one of the ways he's pondering, he said, although he added, "My inclination is to run for re-election."
If you are keeping count of all the Democrats committed to or considering gubernatorial runs, here's our best list of the moment: Deb Markowitz, current secretary of state Doug Racine, state senator Susan Bartlett, state senator, Peter Shumlin, Senate president pro tempore Shap Smith, House speaker Tom Salmon, state auditor
Sen. Doug Racine, a Democratic candidate for governor, will report raising more than $100,000 toward his race.
He didn't match his chief Democratic competitor dollar for dollar, but Markowitz has been fundraising longer. Racine didn't get serious until after the Legislature adjourned. Her figure, as you may have seen in the previous blog entry, will be about double Racine's.
"We've had a very successful month and a half," reported Mark Larson, a state representative from Burlington who is working on Racine's campaign. Racine wanted to hit six figures and did, Larson said.
There will be a lot more details about candidate fundraising available from filings due to election officials Wednesday.
So what do the figures say about the strength of the two candidates? Is it too soon to tell anything?
Larson suggested that taken together the fundraising for Markowitz and Racine shows strong interest in unseating Republican Gov. Jim Douglas -- should he choose to run for re-election.
It will be interesting to see what Douglas reports tomorrow.
Deb Markowitz, presumably a candidate for governor in 2010, released how much money she had amassed for this effort on the day before the filing deadline -- a challenge to her would-be opponents.
Her total -- more than $190,000, she said, with 90 percent from Vermont and Vermonters. In all, more than 1,000 folks have lined up behind Markowitz, a Democrat from Montpelier who currently serves as secretary of state.
Markowitz started before the rest of the field of potential Democratic candidates, so it is hardly surprising if she ends up with more money when all the reports are filed. The other folks who have said they are in the race are Sen. Doug Racine, D-Chittenden, and Sen. Susan Bartlett, D-Lamoille. Racine has been busy since the legislative session wrapped up, while Bartlett went public only a few weeks ago.
Obviously a head start in raising money and securing supporters is important. Time will tell if Markowitz's presumed advantage now sticks. Sometimes a leader steps out of the pack and runs away with the race and sometimes a leader is only a rabbit who loses momentum on the steeps because everyone else held back until it counted.
Markowitz argues in her announcement about her funding -- "This early success is a demonstration of a true movement for real change and new leadership for Vermont."
How important do you think the money tallies are in July 2009, 16 months before the election?
