[UPDATE 2, 11:15 a.m. Governor Jim Douglas has in fact announced that he will not be seeking re-election in 2010. Further, he declared that he had no plans to run for any federal or statewide office, shutting down speculation regarding potential presidential, vice-presidential, or congressional ambitions. — NanuqFC]
[UPDATE – ed.] Governor Jim Douglas will announce at 11:00 this morning that he will NOT be running for re-election in 2010.
More as it becomes available. If true, it certainly raises the question of other, federal political ambitions.
Important to note that this is not a game of media telephone going on – this is for real. Near as can be told, all the media sources making the announcement (including GMD) did so independently, from their own sources. That puts this well beyond the rumor category.
(NOTE: Fairness announcement – Despite the time stamp, Totten at Blurt did come up with this first by a few minutes…. sometimes GMD timestamps are a little screwy.)
“Federal political ambitions?”
Like, he’s gonna beat Leahy or Welch?
Please . . . .
(Sorry, hit “send” accidentally earlier)
But I wouldn’t at all be surprised if, despite what Tiger says, he might be joining the Obama administration.
Douglas running against Welch?
Dubie running for Governor? That would open up the Lt. Gov seat…I’d like to see Pollina for Lt Gov (with the Dems endorsing him and staying out of that race) and the Dem Primary winner for Gov (with the Progs endorsing him/her and staying out of that race)…but I’m not in charge of anything…
news conferences most often have questions and answers ?
Where’s the republican candidate announcement???
Surely, this wasn’t a surprise for some…
For me, not a single republican sticks out as the obvious successor. I’m there is Dubie, but where the heck is Dubie anyway???
This does give the Democrats and Progressives many months to bungle everything up and sway fence sitters to the Republican candidate, whoever that is.
I don’t think he said that he would not run for Vice-President.
[amplified re-post from another related thread]
The campaign tactics have to change. Data on the differences between Douglas’s rhetoric and the reality are now mostly irrelevant, except in so far as the Republicans’ eventual candidate has embraced and supported them and can be tarred with that brush. Democrats (and others) must run on their own platform/programs/records. Racine, I think, has more to run on, plus name recognition. Markowitz has the name recognition, but no voting record, and her ideological/policy pronouncements tend to follow rather than lead public opinion/discussion. Bartlett has a voting record, but her ideology is a bit harder to identify, and she doesn’t have much name recognition outside Montpelier and Lamoille County.
My prediction for political heir apparent: Randy Brock.
BTW, watch how the MSM will report on Douglas’s own listing of his “accomplishments,” that is, without reference to the reality.
NanuqFC
The American people are quite competent to judge a political party that works both sides of the street. ~ FDR, Boston, Nov. 4, 1944
I wonder what Rep. Rich Westman, who just left his safe legislative seat to accept a Douglas appointment as Tax Commissioner feels about the Governor’s announcement?
Needs to be turned into a “thank you” ad to the legislature. The Democratic party should take all the quotes they can find from him fighting against the things he just took credit for, and counterpose them against his speech. Ending with a big thank you to the democratic legislature for making them happen anyway.
Make the door hit him in the behind on the way out, to prevent his potential Republican successor(s) from being able to run on his falsified coattails.
All of a sudden Tom Pelham will have plenty of time to tool up a Governor bid. Interesting and scary!