Gov. Douglas vs Rep. Sanders?

[nickshepDEM]

The Hill reports on Senate contenders in Vermont:

The announcement paved the way for a match-up between Rep. Bernie Sanders, the independent whose politics are to the left of most Democrats, and Gov. Jim Douglas (R), a centrist who easily won his second term last year by more than 20 percentage points.

A Vermont source with close ties to the state Republican Party said that President Bush had called Douglas yesterday asking him to run. While Douglas has yet to announce his plans, the source said that Douglas “is definitely going to run for the Senate seat.”

Jason Gibbs, a spokesman for the governor, said Douglas is focused on the state legislative session and has not made any decisions about the Senate race. The governor was attending a policy forum yesterday in Columbus, Ohio, organized by the Republican Governors Association, Gibbs said.

The governor was portrayed as supportive of abortion rights and more middle-of-the-road than the president when it came to the environment. Still, he served as Bush’s campaign chairman in Vermont in 2004.

As for Sanders, he left little doubt that his long-held plan to run for the Senate was unwavering. “I know the discussion will turn quickly to the November 2006 election,” the congressman said in a statement. “I have been clear about my intentions, which have not changed, but today is not the time to talk about politics or elections.”

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/042105/jeffords.html


Also, from the Boston Globe:

Representative Barney Frank, Democrat of Massachusetts, said his party members expected Sanders to run for the Senate. If that happens, Frank said, senior members of the party would discourage other Democrats from challenging Sanders, avoiding a three-way race that could tip the election to a Republican in the liberal-leaning state.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2005/04/21/jeffords_will_not_seek_reelection/

[nickshepDEM]

1. Obviously Douglas is the strongest Republican candidate...

How would a Douglas vs Sanders race play out?

[DaveinMD]

2. it would be

a very tough race. Probably a toss up.

[Green Mountain Dem]

4. Bernie will....

"crush" Douglas and any other candidate that runs against him...Dem, Repuke or Independent!! Douglas is liked but nowhere near as popular as Sanders. I think in the end that Douglas will run for Bernie's vacant House seat instead.

[DaveinMD]

5. I hope you are right

I spent a bunch of time in Vermont. My wife was head of the UVM College Dems in the early 90s. We really love that place and truly hope that all three seats remain progressive/Democrat.

[WI_DEM]

3. If we are to avoid a GOP win the Dems must unite behind Bernie

especially if he runs as an independent. To have a democratic nominee as well, even if that nominee got 10% of the vote could prove fatal to keeping this seat.

[CrazyForKucinich]

6. I just sent $10 to Bernie Sanders campaign

Best I can do when I'm unemployed. So I got him off to a start for Q3.

We need another Wellstone in the Senate and he seems to be it.

[david_vincent]

7. Interesting how Douglas gets called a "centrist"

This guy is such a cheerleader for Bush/Cheney that he has pom poms in his desk. He's such an Ashcroftian prude that he covered up a table lamp so kids wouldn't see it. And no real centrist would've pulled a trick like he did with that semi-secret press conference.
The only thing that makes him remotely a centrist, in a backhanded way, is that he's not rabidly power crazed like so many Republicans at the federal level, and he's not a "Christian" reconstructionist.

[Hippo_Tron]

8. Three-way race is a problem, otherwise Bernie will CRUSH any Repuke

Bernie is a stellar candidate in a dark blue state in a year when Bush's approval ratings will be lower than ever.

There's absolutely no reason that this should even be a close race.