Posted on 08/27/2009 9:53:17 AM PDT by MinnesotaLibertarian
Vermont GOP Gov. Jim Douglas announced at a press conference Thursday that he will not seek a fifth term in 2010.
“It’s been the great privilege of my life to serve the people of this state whom I know so well,” said Douglas, who won reelection to a fourth two-year term in 2008. “I am ready to write a new chapter in my life.”
Douglas did not elaborate on his future plans, but said he will not be running for any elective office next year.
“I am not running for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House or any other statewide office in 2010,” he said.
“I am not running for president,” Douglas joked, prompting laughter from those in the room. He added that his wife “has a divorce lawyer on speed dial if I ever utter that crazy idea.”
Two Democrats and one Republican are already positioning themselves to succeed Douglas, who was recently elected to serve as chairman of the National Governors Association.
Vermont Secretary of State Deb Markowitz and state Sen. Doug Racine are competing for the Democratic nomination for governor. On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie is considered a leading contender.
Democratic officials said the GOP governor’s exit gives them one of their best opportunities to win a Republican-held seat in 2010.
“As a state that has long favored Democrats, Vermont is a top-tier pickup opportunity,” said Democratic Governors Association Communications Director Emily DeRose. “With such strong candidates, we have an excellent opportunity to win back the Vermont governorship.”
Republicans insisted that the party is well-positioned to keep the governor’s office in GOP hands.
“Gov. Douglas has proven again and again that a Republican can win the governorship in Vermont. Another example is Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, who won election last year with 55 percent of the vote, topping even Governor Douglas’s vote total,” said Republican Governors Association Communications Director Mike Schrimpf. “We are confident that Republicans will be able to compete throughout New England next year.”
I’ve only been a Vermonter for about ten years. But as I understand it, earlier Democrat governors ran the state way into the red, and it’s not a state that can afford to spend a lot of money.
It was actually Howard Dean, of all people, who ran as a fiscal conservative and fixed things up with major cuts in spending and a balanced budget. Then he ran for the presidency and got tapped for the DNC. He was, of course, a crazed liberal, but he did balance the state budget before he went into national politics and screamed.
Jim Douglas has never been very popular, IMHO, but he was re-elected because people are still fearful of electing another big spender. As it is, the leftist legislature overrode his veto of an increase in taxes, and I guess he figures maybe his time has run out. I suspect Dubie may be more electable than Douglas would have been, but the voters may simply forget the problems of ten or twelve years ago and return to electing Democrats.
wow, has Screamin’ Howie Dean really been away from the gig for that long?
Popular enough to win reelection on umpteen occasions. Dubie got more votes than he did in ‘08, so unless he runs truly afoul of the electorate, he should be able to win in ‘10 (and he’s more Conservative than Douglas).
Brian Dubie would be a good choice, especially in the current political climate.
Douglas may be a RINO, but I have to say that not running for reelection in what promises to be a very good year for the GOP is the best gift that he could give conservatives. Brian Dubie, who is a moderate-to-conservative Republican in the mold of Don Carcieri (and thus as good as it gets for Vermont), should have the wind on his back while running for his first term as governor, and, if he wins, would have the power of incumbency for his reelection in 2012. Had Douglas retired prior to 2008, VT would have a Democrat governor and Dubie would be out of office.
This is likely true. I wouldn't say Dubie would have had no chance in 06 or 08 seeing as how he was reelected to his own office but I don't think he could have been successful trying to move up in those years.
BTW should Dubie pass for some reason Randy Brock may run (but he’ll defer in Dubie does run). He’s the former state auditor who got his office stolen in 2006 and was elected to the State Senate last year.
Brock should run for Lt Governor.
“Brock should run for Lt Governor.”
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