I read somewhere that this seat has been in GOP hands since the Civil War...anyone know if that's true?
First they have Jumpin' Jim Jeffords and now they'll get Bolshevik Bernie Sanders. Not to mention Screamin' Dean. What a state.
It is true that the seat was in GOP hands since before the Civil War until Jumpin' Jim Jeffords stabbed his party, his colleagues, and his supporters in the back in 2001. Sanders will probably win the seat. Dems are just posturing, and will not run a candidate against Sanders. GOP Lt. Governor Brian Dubie may run if he does not blink and opt for the US Representative seat being vacated by Sanders. Dubie is popular and about as conservative a candidate as you will find in overwhelmingly liberal Vermont. He is pro-life(unusual in Vermont). He is good looking but not a remarkably effective campaigner. Sanders is a hard worker who tempers his internationalist extreme left beliefs with plenty of populist rhetoric.
The fact that Sanders first move is to crank up the leftist funding machine outside of Vermont should be seized upon as an issue by whoever becomes the GOP nominee. Vermonters are notoriously independent and sensitive to outside influence.
It says a lot about the Democrat Party that they will end up endorsing and voting in an avowed Socialist. The regular Dems are too coy to be so open about their beliefs. can the GOP make some points nationally, in other races, by pointing out this as an example of what the Democrat Party has become?
Hey - at least Bernie is honest - he's a freakin' socialist and proud of it. All the other liberals have to lie and call themselves 'progressives.'
If Reps aren't going to run a good candidate in Vermont than I welcome Bernie to the U.S. Senate. I cannot tolerate the man, good news is the majority of Americans will feel the same. Perfect face to join Kennedy, Kerry, Hillary, Boxer, Reid and Pelosi.