State candidates walk a fine line
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By Louis Porter
Vermont Press Bureau - Published: January 3, 2010
MONTPELIER – Only time will tell what the effect of this year's election will be on the new legislative session. It is hard to imagine, however, that with five people connected to the Senate running for higher office and some in the House considering the same course there will be no effect.
It is not only legislators: Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz and Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, who presides over the Senate, are also running for governor.
But state officials run a perilous course in this election cycle, which began nearly a year ago — earlier than any other time in recent history. If they forgo electioneering to focus on their responsibilities until lawmakers go home, they may find themselves lagging behind the candidates who keep talking and raising money over the next several months. If they don't, they risk backlash from a public, worried about the state budget and other issues, which wants those elected to do their jobs before seeking new posts.
Gov. James Douglas predicts that his decision not to seek re-election will simplify the politics of the legislative session.
"The legislative majority has no reason to ascribe any political motive to anything I say or do," he said. "I hope it will mean legislators will act solely in the best interests of Vermonters."
"I think Vermonters will hold us to that standard," Douglas said. "And I think they will view harshly any politician under the golden dome" who doesn't meet that standard.
Two legislators, neither of whom is running for statewide office (so far), may play parts in ensuring the work gets done despite the election.
One is Sen. John Campbell, D-Windsor, the majority leader.
"It is going to be a concern," he said. "You have five people in the Senate running for statewide office," including Dubie and state Sen. Phil Scott, R-Washington, who is hoping to become the next lieutenant governor.
The others are President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, D-Windham, Sen. Douglas Racine, D-Chittenden, and Sen. Susan Bartlett, D-Lamoille, all of whom are running for governor.
"Every one of those people are influential legislators," Campbell said. "Each has assured me their personal political futures and positions will take a back seat to what is in the best interest of the legislative body and of Vermont. There are some really key, hot issues that have to be dealt with this year. If we have internal turmoil it will just make it more difficult to deal with already difficult issues."
But if political work, or political divisions among candidates, does take too much time or get in the way "it has the potential for being problematic not only in the Senate but in the whole legislative body," Campbell said.
The other lawmaker who may have to mediate among those who are running for higher office is Speaker of the House Shap Smith, D-Morristown.
"I believe that everybody who is in the Legislature and is running for higher office understands they will be judged by the success of the legislative session," Smith said. "I can't really predict what will happen in the Senate. Even without the election I would not want to predict what will happen in the Senate."
Smith's counterpart in the Senate is running for governor.
"I am going to work very hard that it has no effect" on the session, Shumlin said. "I was elected to be president of the Senate and to work together with the speaker and the governor to do what is best for Vermont. I would not expect for me or anyone else to get a promotion unless we were able to do the job we were elected to do effectively."
"Anyone that makes the mistake of using their current office to campaign for the next probably won't be very well received by Vermont's voters and very deservedly so," Shumlin said.
Markowitz, who is not as directly involved in lawmaking although she frequently testifies on legislation and is the top election officer of the state, agreed.
"Legislators recognize these are tough times and that action is required," she said. "I expect people will come together to get the job done."