Update: Dunne has also released his tax returns. They can be viewed at this link.

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Update x2: Racine has released his tax returns as well. They can be viewed here.

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Update x3: And via the comments below, here is a link to Shumlin’s return.

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Peter Shumlin: Alexandra MacLean is the Senator’s new Campaign Manager. MacLean has been Shumlin’s staffer in the Statehouse for the past two legislative sessions, so presumably, someone else will be taking over those duties and reportedly those Statehouse duties will be taken over by former VT Democratic Party staffer Gretchen Kruesi. MacLean also does not have campaign experience, so this is an unusual move and suggests most of the day-to-day campaign decision-making will rest with campaign advisor Kate O’Connor, who has experience with both the state and national-level campaigns of former Governor Howard Dean, as well as the Senate campaign of Richard Tarrant.

Deb Markowitz released her tax return last week, and Susan Bartlett quickly followed. No word from the other campaigns yet. Markowitz’s can be viewed here and Bartlett’s here and here.

Matt Dunne has seen the opportunity presented by the “Challenges for Change” dynamic to join Markowitz as an outsider and begin running against the Legislature and the Douglas-Dubie administration. From his press release last week, targeting the secretive, fast-tracked budget program:

“I know that to be successful – to make positive change happen – it is essential to engage stakeholders in the process, identify clear goals and then move toward[] solutions together. That is the Vermont way.

Not only have they ignored this basic management approach, this administration has ignored recommendations that could reduce costs without cutting core services.”

Doug Racine has managed to distance himself from the worst of the “Challenges” dynamic, but more significantly has been shoring up much of the left through his health care initiatives and his close association on the issue with the Vermont Workers Center. Rarely an email on the topic does not emerge from the VWC that does not reference Racine. If labor unions do endorse this primary, Racine could well stand to benefit the most.

GMD wonders, though, when Racine’s campaign will hire a campaign manager. Amy Shollenberger’s title is “Field Director,” although at least for now, she’s fulfilling the function of campaign director.

Shay Totten’s primary analysis of which campaign has momentum and which doesn’t seems consistent with most opinions, but at the same time it clearly represents a snapshot of this late-session period. It also echoes the comfortable, conventional wisdom “Dubie’s to lose” mantra, despite the fact that this isn’t backed up by the polls, which suggest a tight race.

Positioning at this stage is important, but it must be noted that in such a small state, all bets could well be off once we move into the post-session timeframe, particularly if there is a special session to review “Challenges” cuts made by the Governor.

The Challenges bill at this point has the potential to be the Vermont economic equivalent of the federal “Authorization for the Use of Military Force” that seemed to give former President Bush a blank check to do as he pleased militarily. A special session, along with providing some necessary counter to the budgetary blank check being offered to Douglas, will prove an extremely political arena that even Brian Dubie will be hard pressed to avoid.

(NOTE: Diaries posted under the GMD user represent collaborative efforts of multiple admins.)