John Campbell

Deb Richter is busy. When PolitickerVT.com tried to schedule an interview with the one-time would-be lieutenant governor candidate, she wrote in an email that her 7:30 a.m. morning commute was the best way to pin her down. "I doubt I will get a break during my ‘lunch hour,'" Richter wrote.

Having made her decision not to run for lieutenant governor earlier this week, the Cambridge physician says she is relieved not having to divide her time between her patients and a "horrendous schedule of campaigning."

With the State of the State speech behind him and Progressive Anthony Pollina now certain to be running for his seat in November, Governor Jim Douglas’s election-year strategy is coming into view: focusing on achieving his legislative agenda.

With Progressive Anthony Pollina all but officially declaring himself a candidate for governor, the Vermont Democratic Party is staying quiet about its prospects in the race.  read more »

As we reported earlier this week, Democratic Senate Majority Leader John Campbell will be holding a press conference this afternoon in Montpelier.

An aide to Senate Pro Tem President Peter Shumlin tells us that Campbell will be talking about the “business climate in Vermont” – and will not be making a gubernatorial announcement.  read more »

Democratic Senate Majority John Campbell spends most of his time working out of his Quechee law offices. But this week he’s working out his offices in Montpellier.

And insiders are abuzz about a press conference Campbell has scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in the capitol’s Cedar Creek room.  read more »

With Democratic chair Ian Carleton telling the Burlington Free Press over the weekend that Progressive Anthony Pollina is hedging on entering the race for governor, Pollina sources today are emphasizing that Pollina is, in fact, quite serious about jumping into the fray.

Anthony Pollina of the Progressive Party is expected to announce his intention to seek the governorship early next year, PolitickerVT.com has learned.

“At this point it definitely looks like it,” Pollina said.

A Progressive Party official said that an announcement could come as soon as January. Pollina declined to specify an exact date.

An aide said that Pollina is also building a campaign apparatus. He has hired former Chittenden State Senator Janet Munt, a Burlington Democrat, to serve as campaign Treasurer. The aide said that the hiring of Munt was in part designed to send a signal that Pollina was serious about joining the race.

Pollina aides have set a goal of raising $100,000 by the end of January 2008. “We’re very encouraged by the fundraising results so far,” Pollina said.

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.

One of the names most often listed as a potential Democratic candidates for Governor next year is Peter Galbraith, a resident of Townshend and the former United States Ambassador to Croatia. But don’t expect any decision from Galbraith soon: he’s traveling in Iraq right now, and his friends say he’s not likely to make an announcement anytime soon.

Gov. Jim Douglas

Republican Governor Jim Douglas’s office today brushed aside charges from Democratic Majority Leader John Campbell that Douglas had mishandled two recent marijuana busts.

“The governor’s focus is on the upcoming legislative session and making sure that progress trumps partisanship,” said Douglas spokesman Jason Gibbs. “It is disappointing that Senator Campbell and others want to drag the session down into partisan mudslinging so soon.”

Democrats have accused Douglas of treating one drug offender, who works part-time as a judge, with greater leniency than another.