UPDATE: THE VOTES ARE IN
Just learned from Tracey Harrington on Facebook that the County Committee is sending three names to the Governor: Michael Sirotkin, Deb Ingram, and Dawn Ellis. Ellis, a media consultant who may have been overlooked by some, was one of Vermont’s delegates to the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
You remember that exciting six-person race to fill the late Sally Fox’s seat in the state Senate?
Well, a seventh hat is now in the ring, and the other six are being hastily pulled out.
The new person, who is almost certainly Your Next Senator from Chittenden County, is Michael Sirotkin, who’d been married to Fox for 36 years. As reported by Seven Days’ Paul “The Huntsman” Heintz:
Sirotkin is no stranger to the Statehouse. The South Burlington attorney has worked as a lobbyist for more than three decades and is a partner in one of Montpelier’s most influential lobby shops, Sirotkin & Necrason.
While the contest to replace Fox includes a number of heavy hitters, Sirotkin’s late entrance will undoubtedly alter its dynamics. No favorite has yet emerged, and no candidate can make the case more persuasively than Sirotkin that he or she would carry on Fox’s legacy in the Senate.
Three of the original six candidates have already withdrawn: Jake Perkinson, Crea Lintilhac, and Kesha Ram. Perkinson and Ram have both urged Chittenden County Democrats to unanimously back Sirotkin. The County Dems meet tonight (Wednesday 1/22) to nominate up to three candidates; Governor Shumlin would choose the new Senator, who would fill out the remaining year on Fox’s term.
I’ve worked with Michael on issues for low income and working people for many years. He brings an unmatched combination of commitment to progressive values and legislative expertise to this venture.
Oh the heels of the former Governor from a past generation, sending approval requests to the committee for only the qualified women, even though by most objective assessment parameters, Tim was at minimum number 2 but probably number 1 in experience, can’t we move past sex as some sort of automatic qualifier-or more disappointing-disqualifier?? I miss how sex or sexual preference gets someone a pass on critical examination or qualification. If Palin were here would sex be the first yardstick we would reach for in our rush to judgement?