Doyle: Rainville unlikely to challenge Welch

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.

Rainville, the former Vermont Adjutant General, lost to Welch in November 2006 by a 53%-45% margin.

Doyle said that Republicans faced an uphill battle in taking on Welch.

“It would be a very difficult race under any circumstances. For Vermonters there has to be a real reason to unseat an incumbent,” He added that he was not certain such an environment currently existed.

Doyle also predicted that Democrats would have difficulty taking on Republican Governor Jim Douglas. He said that in a general election potential challengers John Campbell, Doug Racine, and Matt Dunne would likely have to compete for votes with Progressive Anthony Pollina.

Doyle was uncertain as to which Democrat would run for Lieutenant Governor, but said that incumbent Brian Dubie was “a rather remarkable figure” in the state and would prove difficult to defeat.

Doyle, 81, is something of a lion in the state house. He has served twenty consecutive terms, making him the longest serving senator in office. The Montpelier legislator also works as a Professor at Johnston State College, where he teaches a course on the Vermont legislative process.