Posted on 02/09/2006 9:09:21 PM PST by LdSentinal
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Vermont National Guard Chief Martha Rainville will be a candidate for the U.S. House, two sources close to Rainville have told The Associated Press. Rainville's political spokesman, Nathan Rice, said Wednesday that the general had made a decision but he would not say what that decision was. Rice said Rainville would say Thursday or Friday when she would make her announcement.
But two separate sources told the AP on Wednesday that Rainville has decided to run. The sources asked that their names not be used because of Rainville's desire to keep the decision private.
Rainville will make her announcement at a series of stops around the state Monday, the sources said. The first stop will be St. Albans.
Rainville initially said she was considering a race for the House last May. Since then she has formed an exploratory committee, hired a campaign staff and raised more than $100,000, but maintained that she was undecided about whether she would run.
Democrats have complained that she delayed her announcement of a decision so that she could avoid answering political questions. She has said she would not discuss politics while serving as general of the guard.
It is expected she will step down as adjutant general, a position she has held since 1997.
State Sen. Peter Welch, a Democrat, is already in the race for the House. Two other Republicans — Sen. Mark Shepard of Bennington and former Burlington restaurant owner Dennis Morrisseau — say they will run in the September primary. In addition, state Rep. David Zuckerman says he will decide in the next few weeks whether to run as a Progressive.
The seat is now held by U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is running for the U.S. Senate. Sanders has held the state's lone seat in the House since 1991.
The Vermont congressional race is expected to be one of the most competitive in the nation, especially if Rainville is the GOP nominee. Republicans say she has star power because of her tenure with the guard.
Rainville, 47, was born on a naval base in New London, Conn. Growing up she moved around the southern United States with her family at the behest of her father's career in the U.S. Navy. Her father retired in Mississippi, and she graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1979, majoring in elementary education and pre-med.
After graduation, Rainville attended officer training school in Texas. She met her future husband, a St. Albans native, when both were in the Air Force. They are now separated and she lives in Williston.
Rainville was first elected adjutant general by the Legislature in 1997, ousting the incumbent to become the first female adjutant general in the country.
When Rainville took office her first effort was to ensure the Guard remained relevant during the post-Cold War period. That changed after the attacks on the United States of Sept. 11, 2001.
Within hours of the attack, Vermont Air National Guard F-16 fighter planes were patrolling the East Coast. Within days Vermont Army guardsmen had been federalized and were helping protect the border with Canada.
Since then about half of the Air and Army Guard have been deployed overseas for combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and security roles elsewhere.
Rainville has been the public face of the Guard, attending the funerals of Vermonters who have died in the wars and working hard to make sure the families left behind have become part of, as she puts it, ''the guard family.''
Good luck Martha! Big possible swing - commie to republican.
Ping the list....Martha Rainville is a 1979 Ole Miss grad..anyone know her?
What a seismic shift....from Bernie to Martha..is it possible that the people of VT have coime to their senses?
From ken 5.050: :>)
Ping the list....Martha Rainville is a 1979 Ole Miss grad..anyone know her?
Always happy to ping for MS and Ole Miss.: ping
Martha Rainville is a 1979 Ole Miss grad..anyone know her?
I'll bet good money war daddy knows her
and maybe even kin to her.
"Growing up she moved around the southern United States with her family at the behest of her father's career in the U.S. Navy. Her father retired in Mississippi, and she graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1979, majoring in elementary education and pre-med."
I don't know her, but in looking at her bio, I bet she's GOOD.
I, also, bet I know where her daddy retired. ;o)
I wish her very well with her campaign.
"I'll bet good money war daddy knows her
and maybe even kin to her."
I wouldn't be so stupid as to take that bet. ;o)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.