Thomas Salmon

A short lesson in history for Democrats thinking about a challenge to Republican Governor Jim Douglas next year: Vermonters don’t oust incumbent Governors.

The last time a sitting Governor lost re-election was back in 1962, when Republican Ray Keyser lost his bid for a second term to Democrat Philip Hoff by just 1,348 votes – 50.6%-49.4%. That was the only loss for an incumbent Governor in the 20th century.

A short lesson in history for Democrats and Progressives thinking about a challenge to Republican Governor Jim Douglas: Vermonters don’t oust incumbent Governors.

The last time a sitting Governor lost re-election was back in 1962, when Republican Ray Keyser lost his bid for a second term to Democrat Philip Hoff by just 1,348 votes – 50.6%-49.4%. That was the only loss for an incumbent Governor in the 20th century.

U.S. Senators do even better: since the direct election of Senators began in 1912, Vermonters have never tossed a sitting Senator. But some races have been competitive – and close.

In 1976, Republican Senator Robert Stafford, who had been appointed in 1971 when Winston Prouty died, defeated incumbent Governor Thomas Salmon by less than 9,000 votes – 50%-45%. Four years later, when Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy was seeking re-election to a second term, he won by a tight 2,755 vote margin – 49.8%-48.5% -- against Republican Stewart Ledbetter.

Some national pundits thought the 1970 race would get interesting: the 43-year-old Hoff was finishing his third term as Governor and challenged Prouty, who at 64 had spent 26 years in Washington. But Prouty wound up winning easily, 59%-40%.

This is a purely hypothetical question – nothing more – but in politics, sometimes the “what ifs” are the most fun.

So here’s the scenario: it is one year from today and Senator Patrick Leahy’s cell phone rings. It’s the President-elect of the United States, who says: “Pat, I want you to be my Attorney General.”

Leahy’s response comes without hesitation: “It would be my honor, Madame President.” – remember, it’s a hypothetical.

Former Gov. Philip Hoff supports Bill Richardson for PresidentFormer Gov. Philip H. Hoff says he is supporting Bill Richardson for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, but another former Democratic Governor, Thomas M. Salmon, remains undecided about his vote in the March 4 Vermont primary.

On the Republican side, Richard W. Mallary, who represented Vermont in Congress from 1972 to 1975, said he has also not decided on a presidential candidate.