Right-Wing GOPer Proves Need for Unity

As noted earlier, Vermont's moderate Republican Gov. Jim Douglas announced today he is not going to run for the open U.S. Senate seat in 2006, meaning, as WCAX reports, "that the Republicans have lost their best chance of reclaiming the Senate seat" opened up by Sen. Jim Jeffords retirement.

However, that doesn't mean the GOP won't make this a competitve race. Archconservative Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie (R) is letting it be known he is seriously considering the race. Dubie's career proves exactly why it is important for Democrats to prevent a nominal spoiler candidate from running and making this a three way race with Sanders and a Republican. The main reason an archconservative like Dubie was ever elected in a state like Vermont was because a Progressive candidate and a Democratic candidate split the vote for Lt. Governor, giving Dubie the victory. That cannot be allowed to happen in a U.S. Senate race - the stakes are way too high.

Dubie will most likely face a GOP primary with business executive Richard Tarrant. This would be quite a primary, pitting an ultra-right-wing social conservative up against a corporate Republican. Don't be fooled - both candidates may be politically out of step with Vermont voters, but they could both could be potentially dangerous candidates in a general election because the White House is letting it be known there will be a lot of out-of-state Republican money pouring in. As noted by one of Dubie's opponents in a 6/20/02 Associated Press story, Dubie had "tremendous help from right-wing organizations all over the country" during his campaigns.

Nonetheless, Vermont's Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders, who has said he is running, basically summed up what any GOP candidate is going to have to answer. He issued a statement today after Douglas's announcement saying:

"At this point, of course we have no idea as to who the Republican candidate will be. We do know however, that whoever it will be will have to explain to Vermonters why he/she supports a Republican Leadership which gives huge tax breaks to billionaires, but cuts programs in health care, education, veteran’s needs, and for our environment. That Republican candidate, whoever he/she may be, is going to have to explain why they support a Bush Administration which allows corporate America to send good paying jobs to China and, at the same time slashes benefits for Social Security beneficiaries as they attempt to privatize Social Security. We look forward to that debate."

That's the kind of gutsy language we need more of from progressives and Democrats - and why Sanders' election to the Senate is so important.