Peter Galbraith, a former Vermont State Senator who was once a diplomat, resigned to take on a private role in support of Kurdish, Syrian and Iraqi issues. He recently advocated that an independent Kurdish state, free from US backed Iraq government, should have access to revenue from Northern Iraqi oil fields.

Galbraith, however, is still a hands-on participant in the local Vermont political scene. A few days ago, the now former State Senator was the moderator at a recent 90-minute Democratic forum, featuring four candidates seeking his old seat in the senate. The candidates included Roger Allbee, a brand new Democrat. Allbee is a former Republican member of the Douglas administration, and ran for the VT House in 2004 as a Republican.

So Galbraith has not publically endorsed anyone, but he may have a preferred replacement in mind. He and Albee, his possible successor, took a walk last month:

While Galbraith would not yet offer a direct endorsement, he appears to support Allbee's bid. The incumbent [Galbraith] senator joined his Townsend neighbor [Allbee] at Brattleboro's Gallery Walk Friday evening as the latter collected signatures to win a place on the ballot. Galbraith said that he looks forward to returning to the role of “citizen,” but may one day seek a return to public office. [added emphasis]

It must be small comfort to the other three candidates that Galbraith didn’t offer a direct endorsement of Allbee. Roger Allbee left the Republican Party he once identified with, saying the party of former VT Governor and Senator George Aiken “no longer exists.” So if Allbee can mint himself as a Democrat, can Peter Galbraith be moderator?

Galbraith stepped down only weeks before and is almost as new to his role as “citizen” as Allbee is to his as Democrat. So one has to wonder who chose Galbraith to moderate the forum of candidates wishing to succeed him. But someone thought it a good idea. As moderator, Galbraith asked a question about a subject dear to his heart as Senator,voting to ban direct corporate contributions to candidates. An exchange followed on the subject and he and Sen. Jeanette White reportedly

re-enacted a little of their legislative “argy-bargy”.[…]The short story: Last year, Galbraith supported a bill to ban such contributions. White did not. The Senate also supported banning corporate contributions. Later it reversed its decision.

Even out of the State Senate, the odd “argy-bargy” event and Galbraith follow each other. Keep an eye on Kurdistan.