Pollina, once Progressive gubernatorial candidate, will now run as independent

First the Progressive Party candidate for governor, Anthony Pollina (I- Middlesex) announced Monday morning that he will now run as an Independent in the 2008 election.

The announcement came hours before the deadline to file for candidacy, and follows months of Pollina campaigning as a Progressive.

In a statement this morning, Pollina said that he had built a coalition of Progressives, Democrats and Republicans to help him become the next governor of the Green Mountain state, and so decided to file and run without a party affiliation.

"Let me clearly state that this decision in no way compromises my priorities, principles or positions on the issues," Pollina said. "This campaign will continue our commitment to building a coalition of Vermonters that can deliver good jobs, lower health care costs and ensure a safe energy future, support for public schools and a clean environment."

"He (Pollina) has been thinking about this for a long time," said Pollina's campaign manager Meg Brook.  "We've been building a coalition for more than seven months."

Brook said Pollina decided to run as an Independent this year "to be truly inclusive" of all people regardless of political affiliation, which she said could sometimes act as "a barrier to getting things done."

"It opens the door to all kinds of Vermonters," Brook said.  "It makes it accessible to everyone."  But Brook also noted that Pollina was "fundamentally a Progressive" and had "Progressive ideas."

Republican Gov. Jim Douglas' campaign manager Dennise Casey told PolitickerVT.com that "this is the second time a candidate has abandoned the Progressive party as a result of political opportunism to beat Gov. Douglas."

Michael Carrese, communications director for Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington's gubernatorial campaign said that Pollina's independent status would not change their strategy to unseat the incumbent in the Novemeber.

"We're focused on getting the majority of votes," Carrese said.

Pollina will now be the third independent in the gubernatorial race, joining both Sam Young of Glover and Derby resident Tony O'Connor.