Doug Racine

The Vermont Democratic Party will host its Ninth Annual David W. Curtis Awards on Friday, April 25, an event that will honor state Senator Doug Racine of Chittenden County and state committeewoman Dottie Deans of Windsor County.
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With the State of the State speech behind him and Progressive Anthony Pollina now certain to be running for his seat in November, Governor Jim Douglas’s election-year strategy is coming into view: focusing on achieving his legislative agenda.

With Progressive Anthony Pollina all but officially declaring himself a candidate for governor, the Vermont Democratic Party is staying quiet about its prospects in the race.  read more »

With Democratic chair Ian Carleton telling the Burlington Free Press over the weekend that Progressive Anthony Pollina is hedging on entering the race for governor, Pollina sources today are emphasizing that Pollina is, in fact, quite serious about jumping into the fray.

If Republicans are worried about an Anthony Pollina gubernatorial bid, they aren’t showing it.

“Anthony represents a pretty far left view and if he wants in the race, we welcome the challenge,” said Vermont Republican Party Chairman Rob Roper.

Anthony Pollina of the Progressive Party is expected to announce his intention to seek the governorship early next year, PolitickerVT.com has learned.

“At this point it definitely looks like it,” Pollina said.

A Progressive Party official said that an announcement could come as soon as January. Pollina declined to specify an exact date.

An aide said that Pollina is also building a campaign apparatus. He has hired former Chittenden State Senator Janet Munt, a Burlington Democrat, to serve as campaign Treasurer. The aide said that the hiring of Munt was in part designed to send a signal that Pollina was serious about joining the race.

Pollina aides have set a goal of raising $100,000 by the end of January 2008. “We’re very encouraged by the fundraising results so far,” Pollina said.

State Senate Republican Minority Leader William Doyle does not believe that Martha Rainville, the 2006 GOP nominee for U.S. Congress, will seek a rematch with Democratic U.S. Congressman Peter Welch.

“Rainville would have to announce by January or February – and I haven’t heard anything in that regard,” Doyle told PolitickerVT.com Friday.

One of the names most often listed as a potential Democratic candidates for Governor next year is Peter Galbraith, a resident of Townshend and the former United States Ambassador to Croatia. But don’t expect any decision from Galbraith soon: he’s traveling in Iraq right now, and his friends say he’s not likely to make an announcement anytime soon.

Democratic State Sen. Doug Racine says he hasn't decided if he'll run for Governor next year, and that he continues to actively explore a challenge to Republican Gov. Jim Douglas.

“It involves me reaching out to a lot of people and seeing where there is support and if there is a path to victory," Racine said of his decision making process.  read more »

After a week of speculation on the 2008 Democratic gubernatorial primary between Doug Racine and John Campbell, one Vermont political veteran warns that others could join the fray.

"It's just too early to (speculate on the race) at this point," says State Sen. Richard Mazza, a twelve-term Democrat from Chittenden County. "Others could get in the race."