Pollina moves forward with plans for gubernatorial run

The Progressive Party is moving forward with plans to launch community activist Anthony Pollina’s candidacy for governor, with a formal campaign announcement now likely to be made the first week of February, party officials tell PolitickerVT.com Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the party is continuing to raise money in preparation for the campaign.  Officials aim to raise $100,000 by the end of January. The party says $60,000 has been raised so far.

Progressive Party director Morgan Daybell says that there is not a timeline for building a campaign apparatus, but that the party has begun speaking to individuals about filling positions for campaign manager and finance director. Daybell declined to name specific people that were being eyed for the posts.

“Those positions require a skillset that not a lot of people have,” said one party activist. “It takes someone who has a lot of energy and knows the state well.”

Chris Pearson, a Chittenden Representative who worked on Pollina’s stateside campaigns in 2000 and 2002, is helping to shepherd the developing Pollina campaign. Martha Abbott, the co-chair of the Vermont Progressive Party, is also playing a key role.

Party officials say that the campaign will continue to take form in the next several weeks.

“We're going to see significant changes,” said Daybell.