Looks like Senate President Pro Tem John “H.A.” Campbell is at it again, establishing a purity test for Senatorial candidates and giving David Zuckerman a failing grade. Deep down in Paul Heintz’ Fair Game column:
Fair Game has learned that the political action committee run by Senate Democrats will support the five other nominated Dems competing for six seats in the state’s most populous Senate district – but not Zuckerman.
Though he wouldn’t specifically address how the PAC would spend its resources, Senate President Pro Tempore John Campbell said Zuckerman’s choice to run as a “Progressive/Democrat” – not the other way around – makes him ineligible for financial support.
Oh, good grief. Zuckerman’s grievous offense was that he failed to put “Democrat” first? If he simply reversed the order, he’d qualify for your money pot? Yeah, that’s not at all petty, small-minded, or spiteful. Zuckerman was one of the winners of the DEMOCRATIC primary. Democrats in Chittenden County saw fit to choose him from a crowded field in spite of his stated intent to run as a P/D, not a D/P.
But H.A. has another rationale for his move:
…because incumbent Republican Sen. Diane Snelling would likely hold on to one of the county’s six seats, supporting Zuckerman “would be to the detriment” of the five full-fledged Dems in the race.
Now, there’s a real stalwart for you, presuming that one of his party’s nominees is fated to lose. Nice.
Considering how much trouble Campbell seemed to have with the last biennium’s rookie class, I suspect that his real interest is in protecting veteran Senators. Even if they’re Republicans. The last thing he needs is another bomb-tosser like Phil Baruth gumming up the works. Or perhaps even — gasp! — agitating for a change in Senate leadership.
Zuckerman’s response to Heintz was nicely balanced: diplomatic, while still making his point:
“I earned the support of 7200 Democratic primary voters having been clear I was going to run as a Progressive/Democrat,” he says. “I think voters, in general, are tired of the little bickering and were supporting me because I was willing to run with both parties and get down there to work on serious issues.”
Count me as one of those voters tired of the little bickering.
It will bite him in the butt in the long run.
Here we have an election where the Progressives have pretty much cleared the deck for Peter Shumlin, and this is the thanks they get.
The Vermont Democratic Party should applaud John Campbell for resisting the silent takeover attempt by the Vermont Progressives. If they wish to be a Party, be one. If they wish to become Democrats, forget the Prog. moniker. The days of trying to be both should end and Senator Campbell is correct.
for Dave Z to quote almost word for word what people asked him to do for his entire tenure in the house: stop the bickering. You can count the fingers on the hands of a person with no hands the number of people who can tell you the difference between a D and P. They both will do what they need to be elected, including becoming a member of the party about which you spewed venom for your entire career. Maybe Campbell took a call from Gaye Symington who reminded him how Zuckerman slammed her, even after she gave him the chair of the agriculture committee. Screw him. Call some relatives for money.
He has a problem with Dave Zuckerman but no problem with Dick Mazza, who supported Brian Dubie for Gov last time around?
What’s wrong with this picture?