We're Going To Need To Fight To Keep Bernie's House Seat In Vermont

[cali]

Martha Rainville, Adjutant General of the Vermont Guard is announcing her candidacy on Monday. Although she's really been running for months, she's hidden behind her position and by saying she was just exploring a run. She has refused to say where she stands on anything, using her position as cover. On Monday she'll have to announce her resignation along with her candidacy. Expect pukes to pour huge amounts of money into this race. Her opponent is State Senator Peter Welch, a really good guy, but not exactly an exciting one. I expect Rainville to come out as a moderate, though how she's going to finesse the war in Iraq is a mystery to me. In Vermont, the war is very unpopular. But, make no mistake, this is going to be a competitive race.

http://thetranscript.com/localnews/ci_3491592

[mdmc]

1. Is there a democrat running? Is the GOP candidate liberal?

[cali]

3. Yes, as I mentioned

her opponent is State Senator Peter Welch. Sorry I didn't make it clear that he's a dem. He's also a no bones about it liberal. I don't care if Rainville is liberal or a wingnut; I don't want VT sending a puke to help bushco.

[mdmc]

7. sorry, I didn't realize from the OP that Martha Rainville was GOP

I thought she was part of the Murtha / Clark 'band of brothers' / band of sisters.

[freefall]

2. Thanks Cali, for the heads up. It would be a shame to lose Bernie's

seat to a Republican, especially one who supports the Iraq Occupation. What is the latest scuttlebut on the Senate seat? Is Bernie still way ahead in the polls?

As a fellow New Englander I want to see as many of the New England seats as possible go Blue this fall. Thanks for keeping us up-to-date on what's happening in Vermont.

freefall

[cali]

4. You're welcome

Bernie's something like 50 points ahead of Tarrant. If Tarrant gets over 30% of the vote this fall, he'll have done well. I'm much more worried about our lone House seat.

[mdmc]

5. Is there a GOP candidate yet?

I think the world of Bernie Saunders, and I understand that Vermont is going to have a difficult time finding someone to fill his shoes. From what you have posted here in this thread, my choice to replace Bernie would have to be the liberal State Senator that you mentioned above.

I have a hard time believing that Vermont would elect a neo-con to represent them.

Vermont Republicans can boast of giving the BFEE a rare slap in the face when Jeffords left the party. A good, liberal republican would not be the end of the world, in my opinion.

Ps- Won't Bernie have coattails or is Vermont truly that independent? :kick:

[cali]

9. Peter Welch is a great

guy with tons of experience. He'll be a terrific congressman. It does look to be a competetive race, however. As for voting for a repub, I always voted for Jim, but the days when I'd consider voting for even the most liberal repub are long gone. We can't afford anyone who'll support bushco on anything.

[mdmc]

11. off the top do you know if the VT Dem party endorsed Bernie?

I know that the VT Dem party is not running anyone against Bernie.

[cali]

14. Yes they did.

In fact, they endorsed him pretty quickly, sometime early last summer.

[mdmc]

15. Thanks for the info cali

pm me if your ever down in nyc . Peace and low stress!

[Vinca]

41. Unfortunately, Peter Welch alienated many Democrats because

of his support for a deal with Entergy on the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant in Vernon. I wish another candidate would step up.

[mdmc]

13. and welcome to DU freefall

I know you've been here a while...but still...:hi:...peace and low stress!

[freefall]

17. Thanks for the welcome, mdmc but I must admit that there are some days

that I don't check in on DU because I can't handle the stress. There is always something on the boards that makes my blood boil. :-)

[mdmc]

22. you have to use the ignore button

there is one for individual posters and one for threads. It is really helpful. Sometimes DU is over the top... peace and low stress!

[MrBenchley]

6. Uh, we don't HAVE Bernie's House seat in Vermont

He's not a Democrat.

[cali]

8. I have one word for posts

like yours: pedantic. I suspect you know precisely what I meant. If not, let me be pedantic and spell it out for you: Bernie hews to a (mostly) liberal line. He caucuses with the democrats. Martha Rainville is a repub. She'll vote with repubs. Electing Peter Welch will retain the seat in the liberal column.

[MrBenchley]

10. Ask me next what I call posts like yours.....

"I suspect you know precisely what I meant."
That you don't have a clue how Congress and politics works? That you're actually part of a third party?

"Electing Peter Welch will retain the seat in the liberal column."
Then let the son of a bitch join the Democrats. Otherwise, I say he can go fuck himself.

[freefall]

19. I think you misunderstood something. Peter Welch IS a Democrat. n/t

[mdmc]

29. kick for Welch!

:dem:

[dsc]

44. You might, just might, wish to read up before you lecture people

Sanders has caucused with the Democrats for several years. He votes for Pelosi for Speaker, is the ranking minority member on a subcommittee and in point of fact is a Democrat for all intents and purposes. This is a matter of public record and frankly you should have bothered to find it out before you decided to be so snarky. Incidently Mr. Welch, as mentioned twice in this thread, is a Democrat.

[Ken Burch]

60. Peter Welch is a Democrat. Bernie has EFFECTIVELY been a Democrat

And there has never been a reason for Democrats to see Bernie as the enemy. We never had any candidates in Vermont that were worth supporting against Bernie. When he won the mayor's race in Vermont, he beat a right-wing Democrat who effectively ran the city on Republican ideas.

Democrats should make alliances with other progressives at times. We have a lot of work to do getting progressive voters back in the Democratic column(in some cases back to voting at all after all the years when both parties were so conservative that it wasn't worth it for non-conservatives to vote in some areas)and working with people like Bernie is far more in the party's long-term interest than attacking them would be.

And if YOU think all non-Republicans should be Democrats, you'd do a much better job getting them to join us if you wouldn't spend most of your time repetitively insulting them.

Stop hating already. You aren't helping anyone, even your fellow conservative Democrats.

[formernaderite]

37. ignore benchley...he's perpetually in a knot over something

Never read a more bitter sort of fellow...nice is not part of his temperament....he's all or nothing, inflexible...kind of like a repub.

[LincolnMcGrath]

38. Not very well informed either.

[mdmc]

40. I hear that...but he keeps Bernie

:kicking: on down the line

[mdmc]

51. ok

[Solon]

34. I'll try not to be snarky, so here goes...

Basic Info about VT: Bernie Sanders CURRENTLY holds the only house seat for the state, and caucases with the dems, though he is an independent(Socialist). Now, he is not seeking re-election this coming election season, and is running for the Senate. Now in his place, a Democrat(Welch) is running to fill the soon to be vacant House seat. The Democratic party of VT is NOT fielding a candidate against Sanders, and endorsed him instead, also, it seems like, as of right now, that he will win, and continue the tradition of siding with the Democrats on most issues, but this time in the Senate. So I ask you, with Sanders practically giving the Dems(assuming Welch wins) a House seat, in addition to him being in the Senate replacing Jim Jeffords, what is your problem with him again?

[Hippo_Tron]

35. For organizational purposes, Sanders is a Democrat

Just like Jeffords caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate and votes for Reid for Majority Leader, Sanders caucuses with the Democrats in the House and votes for Pelosi for Speaker. When Sanders gets to the Senate he will caucus with the dems there.

He is not a democrat but he is a friend and ally of the party.

[mdmc]

36. if the GOP don't have it, we do

Jeffords!

[mdmc]

12. Bernie is what Democrats should be!

:kick: / r

[freefall]

18. ABSOLUTELY!! n/t

[mdmc]

31. kick to the top

:dem:

[mrgorth]

48. Agreed

F off Benchley! I have Bernie's back!

[tnlefty]

16. The last correspondence that I rec'd from Sanders stated the he feels like

the repukes are going to pour a ton of money into VT to try to take the Senate seat that he's running for. Do you have any news about that? Or how I can contact Peter Welch?

[freefall]

20. Link to Peter Welch's website.

http://www.welchforcongress.com/

[tnlefty]

25. Welcome to DU, freefall, and thanks for the website info.

Do you happen to know whether the repugs are after the Senate seat that Bernie Sanders is running for?

[freefall]

26. Thanks for the welcome, tnlefty. This article by David Sirota

seems to indicate that the Republicans are going to put up a real fight. My guess is they will spend lots of money right before the election. Right now Bernie seems to have a solid lead. Let's hope he keeps it. I think this one will bear watching.

[mdmc]

28. You would think that the GOP would look elsewhere for a battle

why VT?

[DianeK]

39. A few years back when Bernie was defending his seat

in the House the GOP ran a woman by the name of Susan Sweetser (sp?) against him. You would have thought it was the biggest race in the country the way the national GOP swarmed in here! Dick Army came up here, they poured all kinds of money into her race. They even called Bernie's ex-wife to try to get some dirt on him and from what I understand she told them to go to hell.

[mdmc]

45. i bet that they at last sink some money into it...

:kick:

[freefall]

21. Yippee!! Hooray!! I can now recommend posts for the greatest page

and I just recommended this one because I believe it is important that all DUers be exposed to the best candidates (from a progressive view) that are running this fall. I don't think we can rely on the DLC or even the DNC to properly vet candidates. We need to put the names of the good ones out there, the ones who deserve the support of progressives from all over the country.

So I will also mention that Carl Sheeler of Rhode Island in announcing his candidacy for the Senate seat now held by Republican Lincoln Chaffee, called for the IMPEACHMENT of *. I read that on DU last week and sent a donation I was so thrilled. I would be interested to know if any other Senate or House candidates have called for impeachment.

Also Jean Hay Bright of Maine is very progressive on the issues but I must admit that I am not yet convinced that she can run an effective campaign.

Any other names folks?

[mdmc]

27. welcome to DU!

I gave this a :kick: & R too! Peace and low stress!

[CarlSheeler4U]

43. Thanks for sharing my name. We need to do more!

[Cascadian]

23. I like Bernie Sanders.

Why can't more Democrats be more like him? He is out there for the people, not corporate interests!



John

[mdmc]

24. I hear that! Check out this pic!

Leahy, Saunders, Kerry, Welch

Peace and low stress!

[kittykatkoffeekup]

30. The mud slinging has already started.

From todays Time Argus.

http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060212/NEWS/602120367/1002/NEWS01

[mdmc]

32. I didn't read it all

did they connect Welsch to Enron via an attorney that worked on Auther Anderson's defense? LOL! :kick:

[kentuck]

33. Too late to get Will Pitt to move to Vermont ?

That woud be a perfect seat for him.

[mdmc]

42. he kicked but on the russel show today

:kick: for wypr!

[mdmc]

46. check out tis Bernie link!

http://www.canofun.com/cof/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=17297

[mdmc]

47. bernie and barack together tonight

[radio4progressives]

49. Kicking for Bernie! May the Force Be with You Bernie!

:kick: :thumbsup: :applause: :yourock: :applause:

[mdmc]

50. nice ava (I have a stamp like that)

[Vinca]

52. Peter Welch is a really uninspired candidate who has generated

a negative response among liberals for his dealings with the Entergy nuclear power plant deal. Isn't there anyone else in the bluest state in the union who could run?

[mdmc]

53. don't know about his entergy ties

[madfloridian]

54. Could you please present facts on this?

?

[DuaneBidoux]

57. It is the bluest state--which is why I can never imagine them electing a..

repuke! Period! It would shake my universe to the core.

[madfloridian]

58. Governor is Republican.

.

[DuaneBidoux]

59. FUCK ME!

[madfloridian]

55. DFA is behind Welch.

There was a huge post about him and Bernie last week.

[madfloridian]

56. Here is the DFA post on Bernie and Peter Welch. Big money opponents.

Sounds like they plan to buy off the races. Bernie's opponent has already donated 2 million to his race. Looks like is how the Republicans plan to win this time...big money.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/007620.html

"Howard's home state needs your help
With this week marking the third year anniversary of the war in Iraq, it is more important than ever to send responsible leaders to Washington. Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch are two of these leaders—that's why Democracy for America is supporting them for the United States Senate and House of Representatives from Vermont.

Time and again, Bernie has stood up to the radical right-wing and fought for our agenda. As the only Independent member of Congress, Bernie has focused on the needs of the people—working families, the middle class, the elderly, children and the poor. This year, he's running to take his unique brand of independence to the United States Senate.

But it's not going to be easy. Bernie is up against the richest man in Vermont, someone with virtually unlimited wealth, who has already given his campaign over $2 million and is on pace to spend more money per voter than any other Senate candidate in history.

Bernie also faces the smear tactics of the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," the infamous right-wing group. Their leader, John O'Neill, wrote in an e-mail that he is on "A mission to stop the most dangerous liberal in America from winning election to the U.S. Senate," Bernie Sanders.

Bernie has earned the admiration of DFA members across Vermont, but he needs your help to fight back against the Republican money machine. Please contribute to his campaign today:

www.democracyforamerica.com/vtcandidates

No one understands better than Bernie what is at stake in Vermont, which is why both he and DFA are supporting Peter Welch for the United States Congress in one of the top 10 House races in the country.

Peter has led the fight for better health care, renewable energy, and fiscal responsibility as a state senate leader. He's passionate about demanding accountability for the President's misguided policies and putting a stop to this rubber-stamp Congress. And we can count on Peter to follow in Bernie's footsteps as a champion of working Americans on Capitol Hill.

Peter's Republican opponent has also hired the media firm famous for creating the "Swift Boat" ads that attacked John Kerry and has even taken GOP money from Tom DeLay's protégé, Roy Blunt. Vermont can only anticipate what is on the way.

The choice in Vermont's congressional race is simple. Please join us in supporting Peter Welch for Congress today:

www.democracyforamerica.com/vtcandidates

Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch have great records of support for working families. They will continue to work hard for all Americans, but they need your help now in order to win in November.

contribute.democracyforamerica.com/candidates

Thank you for everything.

Sincerely,

Jim Dean"

[mdmc]

61. big money

good plan

[cali]

62. Bernie's opponent, Richie "Rich" Tarrant

is spending gobs of money flooding the local airways with this revolting saccharine mini series of ads.. They started out with his boyhood, then went on to his college basketball years, even having some ex-Celtic player going on about how great Ritchie is and now they're in his starting up IDX years. Each as ends with a stay tuned and a blurb about what the next ad will contain. Sickening.

[mdmc]

63. awful

fight back VT