Election of State Senators in the Upcoming Primary and General Elections
The Bennington County Democratic Committee, chaired by Jim Ramsey, held a special meeting in the town of Bennington on Monday, July 1st to discuss the election of State Senators in the upcoming primary and general elections. In May, incumbent State Senator Brian Campion announced his decision not to seek re-election. Representative Seth Bongartz of Manchester filed his petition to succeed Senator Campion and to run alongside long-time Senator DickSears in the August primary and the November general election. However, Senator Sears died unexpectedly on June 1st, too late to be replaced on the primary ballot.
To fill the very large shoes of Senator Sears, state law affords the voters of the Senate district two opportunities to nominate Senator Sears’ replacement for the November general election. The first is to write-in an alternative to Senator Sears on the August 13 primary ballot which is available now from each town clerk’s office. However, should Senator Sears come in first or second in the primary, then a replacement candidate is expected to be nominated at a meeting after the August 13th Primary by a majority vote of those in attendance of the County Committee as well as delegates from towns in Windham County that are part of the Bennington County Senate District.
After conferring with the Secretary of State and Democratic Party leaders, Ramsey appointed Susan Borden of Bennington (State Committee and County Committee delegate), Mary Gerisch of Bennington (Vice Chair and County delegate), and Karen Mellinger of Shaftsbury (Treasurer and County delegate) to an ad hoc Search Committee to help field prospective candidates. Acknowledging that Dick Sears was a beloved and uniquely effective advocate for his district, the Search Committee, in casting a wide net, suggested several “candidate criteria” making it clear that no candidate would be expected to embody every attribute. These included:
Demonstrated personal priorities, commitments, and a work ethic aligned with the values of the Democratic Party and in harmony with the needs and challenges of the district.
Demographics (such as residence, gender, diversity).
Capacity to run an effective campaign, to win the general election, and to serve with integrity as an effective and collaborative legislator in Montpelier.
Input on potential candidates was received from scores of district residents, including from elected Bennington County legislators, and to date, nearly twenty individuals have considered the possibility of running and five prospective candidates were prepared to address the July 1st meeting. They were:
Asher Edelson from Bennington, Chair of the Vermont Democratic Disability Caucus, candidate for a House seat in the BEN 2 District, and former candidate for the Town of Bennington Selectboard.
Will Greer from Bennington, Secretary of the Vermont Democratic Party, candidate for State House seat in the BEN 2 District, and former candidate for Bennington County High Bailiff.
Rob Plunkett from Bennington, prosecutor in the State’s Attorney’s office for the past 17 years, former school board member, and current board member of the Bennington Rescue Squad.
Kate Seaton from Shaftsbury, a recent graduate of the Emerge National Boot Camp, a Democratic Party activist, with over a decade of corporate and leadership experience.
Jonathan West from Manchester, member of the Town of Manchester Selectboard, Chair of the Town of Manchester Democratic Committee, and an advocate for sustainable housing solutions in the region.
In addition, Addie Lentzner from Bennington, a Middlebury College student, Acting Chair of the Bennington Democratic Town Committee and an advocate for the homeless, discussed her long-term interest in electoral politics but declined to run at this time.
As the Search Committee pointed out, one of the goals is to “promote an open, participatory process in which each Democratic candidate is welcomed by Town Committees and in which County Committee members proactively endeavor to meet with candidates.” Any individuals still considering a run can reach out to members of the Search Committee or to County Chair Jim Ramsey at info@benndems.org.
Ramsey is very pleased by the strong interest in such a demanding position, and a commitment to public service. “This July 1st meeting was a good indicator of the strengthening vitality of the Democratic Party in Bennington County, and I am certain we will see these leaders and others serving their communities in many ways, in addition to serving in the state legislature.”
For further information, contact Jim Ramsey at info@benndems.org
