Rep. David Zuckerman for Lieutenant Governor?
For some, it may be news that I am considering a bid for the position of Lieutenant Governor of Vermont. It may also cause some chagrin that if I do this, I would run in the Democratic primary and would hope to have earned the Progressive nomination as well, with a goal of running as a P/D in the general election.
The hope is that this olive branch on partisanship would bring together a coalition on the important issues of the day; healthcare, jobs, agriculture, and rural development. The common thread amongst these is economic viability for the citizens of our state. Included in that and not to be missed are issues such as affordable housing, livable wages, and quality public schools.
Many of you know the wide range of issues I have sunk my teeth into during my 13 years in the statehouse. I have been at the forefront on marriage equality, livable wages, sustainable agriculture (environmentally and economically), individual freedoms (reproductive rights and end of life choices), election reform, closing the Entergy nuclear power plant in Vernon, supporting our troops by fighting to not deploy them, and then to bring them home by ending these wars we have engaged in around the world.
I have received a wide range of opinions so far. Everything from:
“run for any office and I will support you,”
“run for Governor,”
“why sell out and run in the D primary,”
“don’t run in our (D) primary,”
“this is great, you are the candidate who can pull this off and bring us together on the issues, who cares about party,”
and on and on. Since I have not developed a campaign website yet, I am asking for you to post your thoughts here on the Progressive Party website.
What do you think?
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Hey, I’m a D & I think it’s a great idea that you run in our primary. You are correct that there are many issues in common. It makes more sense than dividing the vote three ways and you would benefit from the campaign tools the VDP has at their disposal.
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I hope you run. I think this is great news. As incumbent Dexter Randall’s campaign manager I was heartbroken to watch him lose to a Republican who sometimes seems to be in the Governor’s pocket, due to a Democrat also running. I myself often vote Democrat and worked for Obama (and Hillary). I especially have been thinking of this during the recent single payer health discussions.
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Well, how about this for feedback (posted on Broadsides.org)?
While Vermont’s current Lieutenant Governor, Brian Dubie, dithers to and fro about his re-election plans and other oft-mentioned possible candidates like Rep. David Zuckerman put out political feelers by asking questions about themselves in the third-person (i.e. “What should David Zuckerman do?”), Newbury’s Boots Wardinski is cutting to the chase: He’s in. Period.
But wait. There is one wrinkle.
In an exclusive phone call with Broadsides.org, Wardinski announced that he’d be seeking the office of Vermont’s number two job in the Progressive Party’s primary in September 2010.
“I know what I want. I know where I stand. And I know how to use first-person pronouns, as in: I’m running for lieutenant governor of Vermont in the Progressive Party’s primary because I firmly believe in alternative parties and my stand on the issues.”
When asked for specifics, Wardinski rattled off a list of political stands that included the immediate shutdown of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, universal health care coverage for all Vermonters in a publicly-funded system, a halt to public employee layoffs, and an immediate withdrawal of all Vermont service members currently fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and “who the hell knows where else.”
“See, being specific isn’t hard,” declared Wardinski. “I just wish my opponents would do the same by stopping their media games and starting a substantive debate on the issues. If Brian Dubie and David Zuckerman don’t know what to do, they should step aside and let those who believe in what they’re doing – and thinking – lead.”
Wardinski is a horse logger, landscaper, farmer, maple sugar maker, and political activist in Vermont, where he’s lived for nearly thirty years. He currently serves as the president of the Capital City Farmers’ Market in Montpelier, the founding co-director of Horse Loggers for Peace in an undisclosed location, and a member of Veterans for Peace.
Wardinski has been arrested on numerous occasions in acts of civil disobedience, including actions against continued funding of the Iraq War (before it was popular), against the use of genetic-modified organisms (GMO’s), and against military recruitment of Vermont’s citizens.
Political observers may wonder why Wardinski is entering the Progressive Party’s primary after being a key historical figure – along with Bernie Sanders — in Vermont’s Liberty Union Party. The answer, according to Wardinski, is simple:
Wardinski is referring, of course, to the reports being circulated by Zuckerman himself that he is considering a complete abandonment of his previously held positions regarding alternative parties by entering the lt. governor’s race as a Democrat.
“Zuckerman’s basically issuing one, big ‘nevermind’ to his constituents,” said Wardinski. “I guess that’s what it takes to be a Democrat or Republican. You know, just like Obama was going to ‘stop the wars.’ Nevermind, indeed.”
Broadsides attempted to contact uber-Vermont political commentators Eric Davis and Garrison Nelson for a comment on Wardinski’s announcement but we were informed that they “were napping.” [Editor’s note: Poor fellas, they must be tired from trying to make the bland seem so relevant for all these years.]
Wardinski promised to be making announcement about his campaign staff in the very near future. Stay tuned.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
awesome! Then Peter Buknatski can write a poem about it and you can all sit around and tell people how you’ve saved civilization.
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
And Steve Ekberg can be Wardinki’s campaign manager…
September 24th, 2009 at 5:40 am
Yes!
September 24th, 2009 at 11:56 am
I’d love to see Dave as LG. He’d be terrific. And the only way to get there is as a P/D. Go for it!
September 24th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I almost always vote for Democrats. I have often been critical of Progressive’s for dividing the “left” in this state. On the other hand, Dave, I’ve always liked your politics and your style. Unlike many politicians, you know how to disagree without being hostile and obnoxious.
If you run in the Democratic Primary for Lt. Gov, I will vote for you – IF you promise to endorse the winner of the primary, regardless of the outcome. And IF you pledge to endorse the winner of the Democratic Primary for governor. Running on the “D” ticket while opposing the person running at the top of the ticket isn’t reasonable.
You’d make a good Lt. Gov. If you are willing to try to help unite the “left” in the above way, you’ll have this Democrat’s support.
September 24th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Michael,
How ’bout this:
Wardinski and Buknatski
were just a couple of Polish guys,
one ran for office as a Progressive
and the other kept his politics in disguise,
then out of the blue came Diamondstone
who switched to Republican
cause he knew the Dems would blow it in 2010
and we’d be 3 steps backass again
This ‘party-switching’ shit is becoming trendy. However, I think it should be required that if you switch parties you also have to cross-dress. Hey, a vote getter!
September 25th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Yeah, good luck with that
September 26th, 2009 at 7:25 am
Run, Dave, run!
September 28th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
[...] 4.5%, Liberty Union 1.2%. Zuckerman ponders aloud in the Progressive Party’s blog at this link. No Comments [...]
October 6th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
I would love to see Dave run for LG, provided that his strong stance on issues does not get watered down by running as a dem. I don’t expect that to happen, but hey, the bigger things get, the harder it is not to move toward the middle.