So the Monday morning Freeploid gives us a little window on how Governor Shumlin is spending his time these days — traveling the highways and byways, stopping for pre-arranged campaign* visits and whoring himself out to any camera in his vicinity. (While Randy Brock wanders the state in his Jaguar — life’s tough — forlornly seeking out random strangers willing to talk to him. And, in some cases, tell him to his face that he doesn’t stand a chance. Sucks to be Randy.)

*And non-campaign visits, a.k.a. “governing.” You can tell the difference, so sez the Freeploid, by which staffer attends him — a campaign aide, or a state employee.

By the reckoning of just about everyone except Randy Brock and Jack Lindley, Shummy’s got this one in the bag. He’s hardly touching his million-dollar campaign stash. He did pay for a grand total of one television ad; otherwise, he seems to be feathering his nest for a future run at a higher office. (Succeeding Leahy in 2016?)

What he doesn’t seem to be doing much of, is helping the rest of the Democratic ticket. He did take time out to attend Saturday’s “Victory Rally” in Stowe, give him credit for that. (Is Stowe really the Democratic heartland these days?)

But is that the best he can do? Couldn’t he maybe do a Big Dem Bus Tour with the whole ticket attending rallies across the state? Couldn’t he arrange some policy pronouncements that involve incumbent Dems like Beth Pearce or even Bill Sorrell? Especially Pearce, who’s got a tough race on her hands thanks entirely to the deep pockets of Lenore Broughton.

Could he, at the very least, stop saying things like this?

“Phil [Scott] is rarely wrong.”

And then there’s this little WTF moment on Shumlin’s East Montpelier land deal, taken from last week’s WPTZ debate:

“Most people don’t spend $35,000 and gain $113,000 over night,” Brock retorted.

“That’s because I’ve improved the property,” Shumlin said. “Phil Scott built a road. We put in a septic system. We built the foundation.”

Huh? Phil Scott built a road for the Governor’s new manse? Would anyone else like to hear a little more about that?

IMO, Shumlin’s got some ‘splainin’ to do to his purportedly handpicked candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Cass Gekas, who’s out there fighting the hard fight with no income and limited campaign resources. It’d be nice if he could at least pretend he likes her as much as he likes Phil Scott.

There’s also the buzz on the street about Shumlin and the Auditor’s office. Namely that the Guv would greatly prefer Vince Illuzzi over Doug Hoffer, presumably because Vince is a back-slappin’, deal-makin’, backroom kinda guy with some ethical squick in his past, while Doug (although solidly liberal) is an authentic “numbers guy” who might actually check the state’s math once in a while.

I don’t necessarily put a lot of stock in street buzz, but it certainly jibes with Hoffer’s low fundraising numbers. (He has, of course, actually outperformed Illuzzi in raising money from other people, but that’s not saying much; all Republicans have done very poorly in fundraising this year. And he doesn’t have the resources it’d take to wage an all-out fight against the Lenore Broughton money machine.

I realize that there’s political value in appearing to be nonpartisan and maintaining relationships with reasonable Republicans. But the big negative on Jim Douglas’ resume is his utter failure to build a competitive Republican Party. I’d hate to see the same thing happen at the tail end of the Shumlin years.

C’mon, Shummy. A little Guv love for the Democratic ticket?