Who is not running for governor, plus contract dispute

[ccharles000]

The mind-bogglingly large field of six candidates for governor could grow bigger. Two more are tinkering with the idea of jumping in — Republican-turned-independent Michael Bernhardt and Progressive-turned-independent-turned-Democrat (?) Anthony Pollina.

Bernhardt, a former Republican state representative and House minority leader from Londonderry, says he is “very serious,” about running as an independent for governor in 2010. He was the Republican candidate for governor in 1988, losing to incumbent Democrat Madeleine Kunin.

Bernhardt, 72, who describes himself as a social moderate/fiscal conservative, said none of the current candidates’ are addressing the state’s fiscal concerns as pointedly as he’d like — not Republican Brian Dubie and not any of the Democrats running.

“I think we have to be very candid with the people of the state of Vermont,” Bernhardt said, advocating that the state start with a zero budget and rethink all spending.

Bernhardt’s thoughts are not going over well with some Republicans, including one he considers a friend and whose fiscal policies he does support — Gov. Jim Douglas. Last week, Douglas said he hopes Bernhardt changes his mind. The two haven’t spoken about it, Bernhardt said, but he has heard from others who aren’t happy with him.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/blog/politics/2009/11/vt-buzz-who-is-not-running-for-governor.html