Free Republic

In front of statewide leaders, allies and enemies alike, Governor Jim Douglas made one of the biggest announcements in his long political career. "With what will be eight years as governor-- fifteen statewide elections-- I will have held center stage long enough for any leader. I will not seek another term as governor of Vermont," said Douglas, R-Vermont. An emotional bombshell dropped by a typically steady politician. Fresh out of college Douglas ran for the Vermont House and won, he then went to work for Governor Dick Snelling, eventually winning election to become Secretary of State and Treasurer. Partway through...

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...

When the Iowa Supreme Court kicked off last weekend by approving same-sex marriage, conservatives across the board were saddened. Needless to say, Vermont’s decision as the fourth state to join the team, so to speak, is nothing less than a slap in our faces. Tuesday morning the Legislature voted to override Republican Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto of a bill permitting homosexuals to marry. With an override vote of 23-5 in the Senate and 100-49 in the House, Vermont is the first state to legalize gay and lesbian marriage with a legislature’s vote. It’s time to wake, Conservatives. The madness doesn’t...

MONTPELIER, Vermont, March 25, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas said today that he would veto a bill the Senate passed Monday that would open the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples, reports the Associated Press (AP).Douglas had indicated earlier that he thought the state's civil unions for same-sex couples were enough, and that he was against same-sex "marriage."  The Democratic-dominated Vermont Senate voted 26-4 Monday in favor of the bill, S. 115, which would redefine marriage as "the legally recognized union of two people."  The House is now considering similar legislation.The AP reports Douglas also...

There is a Governor who fully supports Obama's stimulus package, and no it's not Sarah Palin..It's Governor Jim Douglas from Vermont, read this and prepare to vomit..Enclosed is a link to a blog he wrote where he not only praises Obama but practically kisses his ass http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog_post/what_governors_know/ President Obama welcomed the rare Republican supporter of his economic stimulus bill today when Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas arrived in the capital to lobby GOP senators to vote for it. Douglas, who is vice chairman of the National Governors Association, is bucking his party over Obama's massive economic bailout plan. In a brief...

President Obama welcomed the rare Republican supporter of his economic stimulus bill today when Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas arrived in the capital to lobby GOP senators to vote for it. The Senate Republicans are prepared to fight the current package.Douglas, who is vice chairman of the National Governors Association, is bucking his party over Obama's massive economic bailout plan. In a brief photo op with Douglas, Obama said, "What we can't do is let very modest differences get in the way of the overall package moving forward quickly." Douglas sat next to Obama in the Oval Office and said, "If...

MANCHESTER, NH -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that Governor James H. Douglas (R-VT) has endorsed John McCain in the New Hampshire Primary. "John McCain is a principled leader whose character, judgment and experience make him the best prepared to lead this country on day one," said Governor Douglas. "John McCain is a reformer who is willing to stand up for taxpayers and against the special interests. I am proud to support his candidacy." John McCain thanked Gov. Douglas for his support, stating, "The people of Vermont are privileged to have Jim leading their state. I am...

JERICHO, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Governor Jim Douglas has signed into law a bill to ban school buses from idling while parked on school grounds. The governor signed the bill yesterday at the Browns River Middle School in Jericho where a seventh grade social studies class conceived of the idea to ban idling as a way to save fuel and protect the environment. Douglas thanked the students for focusing on reducing emissions from motor vehicles, which generate almost half of the greenhouse gases produced in Vermont. In addition to banning idling, the new law asks the Department of Education to...

DEMOCRATS BLOW THE CALL BY PETER FREYNE Seven Days Democrats Blow the Call -- A political bomb blew up in the thrower's hand last week. We're referring to Jon Copans' sizzling press release accusing Republican Gov. Jim Douglas of "using taxpayer money" to "import a culture of corruption into Vermont."… How could the state's longest-serving, best-liked, state-government career politician be so stupid? He wasn't. Copans was. The Douglas administration actually signed the contract with New York-based Development Counselors International (DCI) -- www.dc-intl.com. It's a reputable firm, apparently quite good at what it does, i.e., promote "places" for business to locate....

A bill to legalize assisted suicide in Vermont has died for the second consecutive legislative session. A House committee held a hearing on the bill but dropped the issue when other lawmakers indicated its prospects were severely limited. The House Human Services Committee held a public hearing and took two days worth of testimony, but lawmakers in favor of making Vermont the second state in the nation to legalize the practice will have to wait until next year. The gavel fell on the legislative session on Saturday and lawmakers will be headed back to the state capital to deal with...

But, his stalwart sidekick, Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, quickly stepped up to fill the speculation about who in the GOP will take on U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders

BURLINGTON — Gov. Jim Douglas ended more than a week of increasing political speculation Saturday, announcing he would not run for U.S. Senate in 2006. But, his stalwart sidekick, Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, quickly stepped up to fill the speculation about who in the GOP will take on U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders, who has said he intends to run for the Senate. “I am thinking about it,” Dubie told reporters in a crowded hallway outside Douglas' announcement. Dubie said he would consider a run for U.S. Senate or U.S. House, but not without consulting his family first. “For me, it’s...

This much could be discerned, though: Douglas is under intense pressure from national Republicans to run for the Senate seat now held by Independent U.S. Sen. James Jeffords. And the governor is no fan of U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders, who will be seeking the seat.

MONTPELIER, Vt. Governor Jim Douglas maintains a comfortable lead over Democrat Peter Clavelle in a poll released tonight by WCAX-TV. The poll of 403 likely voters found Douglas with the support of 51 percent while 37 percent said they would back Clavelle. Eleven percent were undecided. The telephone survey was conducted Sunday through Tuesday by Research 2000 of Rockville, Maryland. The margin of error was plus or minus five percentage points. In the race for governor, Douglas did better with men than with women while Clavelle drew stronger support from women than men. Of those surveyed, 48 percent said they...

Dean's influence wanes at Statehouse By Candace Page Free Press Staff Writer MONTPELIER -- On Jan. 8, 2003, then-Gov. Howard Dean said good-bye to a state where -- thanks largely to his influence -- Vermonters could ride a commuter train from Charlotte to Burlington but could not play the Powerball lottery game, exit from Interstate 89 in Bolton or be dosed with methadone outside a hospital clinic. Within two months, the commuter train screeched to a halt. Vermonters began plunking down dollars for Powerball tickets four months after that. The state Senate voted this month to expand methadone distribution. And...

Polls covering the VT Governor's race, as recently as this past weekend, showed the Republican candidate down between 5 and 10 points to Democrat Doug Racine. Douglas appears to have squeaked out a narrow victory over Racine. The Lt Governors had been too close to call in a tight three way race. Former air force pilot Brian Dubie appears to have won handily. According to the Vermont constitution both race have to be decided by the Vermont legislature because neither ended with anyone getting 50% of the vote. The legislature appears to have unexpectedly moved from Republican control to a...

<p>The Republican National Committee dispatched a nice check to their man in Vermont this week, but the envelope landed on Democrats' doorstep.</p> <p>The overnight letter addressed to GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Douglas was delivered to his Democratic opponent, Douglas Racine.</p>