Another “timely(?)” exit from the Senate is Don Collins of Franklin County.
It was announced yesterday in the Messenger that the long-time senator from St. Albans, who returned after a previous retirement to serve one last term, apparently has had enough of Montpelier and plans instead to concentrate on local education issues.
Collins was one of a list of Democratic senators that Republicans rather grandly announced they would be “targetting” this year.
I rather hope this wasn’t the only reason he stepped aside. Given the remarkably flabby performance of Vermont’s Republican strategists in recent years, that beast don’t got no teeth.
Be that as it may, we’re down to just one Democratic hopeful from Franklin County, Bill Roberts, who is something of a dark horse. He only recently announced as a Democrat and, as an anesthesiologist
and part-time home redeveloper, he has the cash to stand the campaign.
His focus seems to be on addressing drug and alcohol abuse, a great way to reach the folks of St. Albans who have recently felt the awkward stare of national media around that issue.
Stay tuned.
At least Hartwell had the decency to drum up a replacement before making a last-minute Exit Stage Left. It’s a shame that this will leave Franklin County short of Democrats — especially since it’ll facilitate Dustin Degree’s return to the Golden Dome.
If you had the horses, dark or otherwise, the Democratic turnout machine could help keep the seat away from the Republicans. But if there’s a shortage of names on the ballot, there ain’t much the party can do.
The real knife is that he left any potential replacement candidate only a week to get enough signatures to get on the Democratic ballot.
Well, Sue, you played it for an April Fool joke a couple of months ago, but, hot damn! Here’s your chance! You could run as a D/P …
NanuqFC
In the last analysis, politics is not predictions and politics is not observations. Politics is what we do. Politics is what we do, politics is what we create, by what we work for, by what we hope for and what we dare to imagine. ~ Senator Paul Wellstone
A couple of Franklin County Democratic women have stepped up last minute and seriously considered a run for the open seat. I think we’ll have at least one Democratic candidate announcing today.
Senator Collins cited the demands of his family business and the obvious need for a Democratic candidate to put in a lot of time and effort to pull off a win this year. No article about people targeting your race with lots of money is encouraging, but Don is a veteran and that alone wouldn’t shake him.
Rep. Mike McCarthy, Chair Franklin County Dems