Kristina Althoff

The 2008 presidential cycle is breaking new ground: the most successful female and minority candidates, huge leaps in voter turnout, and a reinvigorated excitement about politics.

But the excitement generated from the candidates topping the party ticket is not just confined to the presidential race: Vermont officials and political observers are feeling the enthusiasm too. Many have dubbed the phenomena of heightened interest, activism and turnout the "Obama Factor."

Republican Gov. Jim Douglas' camp responded fervently Friday morning to Thursday's wave of attacks from the Vermont Democratic Party and gubernatorial candidates House Speaker Gaye Symington (D-Jericho) and Progressive Anthony Pollina.

Vermont Democratic Coordinated Campaign Director Kristina Althoff issued a controversial statement on Thursday assailing Douglas on the closing of Vermont Tubbs that prompted Secretary of Commerce and Community development Kevin Dorn to refute her attack, calling the information "patently inaccurate" and "completely false."

Gov. Jim Douglas (R-Middlebury) encountered heavy criticism Thursday as the Vermont Democratic Party and Douglas' gubernatorial challengers took aim at his past policy initiatives.

Jill Krowinski: Politicker PhotoBURLINGTON - Since taking the reigns of Gaye Symington's gubernatorial campaign nearly a month ago, former Vermont Democratic Party executive director Jill Krowinski says she's jumped right in after "quite a wild ride," she told PolitickerVT.com last week. "It was basically a change that happened overnight."

For a time, Krowinski said, her new post carried an awkward familiarity that she summed up as "same desk, different job."

Kristina Althoff, fresh off traveling the country with the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), has been named interim executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party. The announcement comes as Jill Krowinski moves to manage former state House Speaker Gaye Symington's gubernatorial campaign.

It is unclear if this is a long-term move. Althoff worked last cycle with the Vermont Democratic House campaign.  

Kristina Althoff's whirlwind tour is carrying her back to Vermont.

Althoff, a former Democratic Party staffer, is back to lead the state party's ‘Coordinated Campaign.' She has been spent the past 15 months working as a field organizer for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

"I am extremely excited to be back," Althoff told PolitickerVT.com in an email.