Well, its official. Sanders has announced...

[nick]

From bernie.org:

Dear Friends:

This last week has been cataclysmic for Vermont politics. As you no doubt know, Senator Jim Jeffords has announced that, for health reasons, he will not be seeking re-election in 2006.

All of us owe Senator Jeffords an enormous debt of gratitude. Alone among nationally elected Republicans Jim Jeffords said “enough is enough” - and then bolted from a party which had moved so far to the right that he could no longer support its extremist agenda. As a life-long Republican this was not an easy decision for him and his family and required great courage. As recently as a few weeks ago the leadership of the Vermont Republican Party was continuing to attack him viciously.

I have known Jim Jeffords for over 30 years and want to take this opportunity to wish him and his wife Liz the very best in their future endeavors. It has been an honor and privilege to have worked with him over the last 15 years.

I have told Vermonters for several years that if Senator Jeffords decided not to seek re-election, I would run for that seat. And that is exactly what I intend to do. With 15 years of experience in the U.S. House I feel ready to represent Vermont and working Americans throughout the country as a U.S. Senator in the fight for social and economic justice.

I have no illusions that this will be an easy race. Quite the contrary! By running for the U.S. Senate we will be taking on the most powerful, well-financed and mean-spirited political organization in American history – the Republican National Committee and all of their affiliates.

Because the Republican Party faithfully serves the interests of the rich and corporate America, they will have an unlimited amount of money to spend on this campaign. Because their party has nothing significant to say about the real problems facing the American people, their campaign will no doubt reflect Karl Rove’s politics of personal destruction.

As Vermont’s Congressman and the only Independent in the U.S. House of Representatives, I am proud of the fights I have led in standing tall for workers’ rights, our environment, civil liberties, peace, family farmers, veterans – and for all those Americans not being represented by a government dominated by Big Money interests and right-wing extremists.

As I embark on this historic effort to become the first Independent elected to the U.S. Senate in modern American history, I am asking for the support of all Americans who want a U.S. Senator who is prepared to help lead the effort against the most reactionary government in modern American history. Your support is all the more important because I do not accept corporate PAC money.

Make no mistake about it. The Republicans and their proxies are prepared to open the money spigot in order to win this seat. But with your help we will have the resources to run the kind of grassroots campaign that we need to keep President Bush and Karl Rove from gaining another loyal foot solider in the U.S. Senate.

Please donate online today to let them know we are ready to fight for our democracy! Checks can be sent to Sanders for Senate, PO Box 391, Burlington, VT 05402. Thank you in advance for all your support.

Sincerely,

Congressman Bernie Sanders

[King]

Looks like socialism will re-enter the Senate after a 60+ year hiatus.

[Jake]

What a joke this guy is.  He reminds of freedumburns

[bgwah]

Looks like socialism will re-enter the Senate after a 60+ year hiatus.

He should become a Socialist Party member. America needs more third parties.

[King]

Looks like socialism will re-enter the Senate after a 60+ year hiatus.

He should become a Socialist Party member. America needs more third parties.

The Green Party would love to have him, then they could run Sanders/Nader in 2008.

[Frodo]

Sanders has my full and unqualified support, and i wish him the best, that he will take that senate seat with an overwhelming margin of the popular vote. 

[nick]

Sanders has my full and unqualified support, and i wish him the best, that he will take that senate seat with an overwhelming margin of the popular vote. 

I second that.  Bernie Sanders is one of the very few politicians that I truly believe cares about the people he is serving.

[King]

Sanders has my full and unqualified support, and i wish him the best, that he will take that senate seat with an overwhelming margin of the popular vote. 

I second that.  Bernie is one of the very few politicians that I truly believe cares about the people he is serving.

Although his policies aren't sensible at all, he does seem dedicated...

[bgwah]

Looks like socialism will re-enter the Senate after a 60+ year hiatus.

He should become a Socialist Party member. America needs more third parties.

The Green Party would love to have him, then they could run Sanders/Nader in 2008.

Great idea!

I really was hoping Moore would get an extreme-conservative party going, but I don't think he will.

[Smash255]

Looks like socialism will re-enter the Senate after a 60+ year hiatus.

He should become a Socialist Party member. America needs more third parties.

The Green Party would love to have him, then they could run Sanders/Nader in 2008.

Great idea!

I really was hoping Moore would get an extreme-conservative party going, but I don't think he will.

The GOp is going in that direction anyway so why should he bother??

[Frodo]

does anyone have any idea who will be taking over Bernie Sander's seat in the House? 

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

does anyone have any idea who will be taking over Bernie Sander's seat in the House? 

Hard to tell seeing as how there may or may not also be an open Governor's race.

[nick]

does anyone have any idea who will be taking over Bernie Sander's seat in the House? 

GOPers
Aud. Randy Brock
'92 nominee/Gov. Jim Douglas
LG Brian Dubie
Ex-House Speaker Walt Freed
'98 candidate/'04 nominee Jack McMullen
'04 House nominee/ex-USAF pilot Greg Parke
IDX Systems Corp. CEO Richard Tarrant

Dems
'94 nominee/'00 candidate/ex-state Sen. Jan Backus
'04 GOV nominee/Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle
'00 nominee/ex-Aud./state Sen. Ed Flanagan
Sec/State Deb Markowitz
VT Nat'l Guard Maj. Gen. Martha Rainville
'02 GOV nominee/ex-LG Doug Racine
'04 LG nominee/ex-state Sen. Cheryl Rivers
'02 LG nominee/ex-state Sen. Pres. Peter Shumlin
AG Bill Sorrell
Treas. Jeb Spaulding
'90 GOV nominee/state Sen. Maj. Leader Peter Welch

[Frodo]

does anyone have any idea who will be taking over Bernie Sander's seat in the House? 

GOPers
Aud. Randy Brock
'92 nominee/Gov. Jim Douglas
LG Brian Dubie
Ex-House Speaker Walt Freed
'98 candidate/'04 nominee Jack McMullen
'04 House nominee/ex-USAF pilot Greg Parke
IDX Systems Corp. CEO Richard Tarrant

Dems
'94 nominee/'00 candidate/ex-state Sen. Jan Backus
'04 GOV nominee/Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle
'00 nominee/ex-Aud./state Sen. Ed Flanagan
Sec/State Deb Markowitz
VT Nat'l Guard Maj. Gen. Martha Rainville
'02 GOV nominee/ex-LG Doug Racine
'04 LG nominee/ex-state Sen. Cheryl Rivers
'02 LG nominee/ex-state Sen. Pres. Peter Shumlin
AG Bill Sorrell
Treas. Jeb Spaulding
'90 GOV nominee/state Sen. Maj. Leader Peter Welch

thanks!

of all these candidates, who (from either party) would look to be the most likely to win this seat, in your opinion? 

[nick]

of all these candidates, who (from either party) would look to be the most likely to win this seat, in your opinion? 

Probably, the Republican Governor, Jim Douglas.  But I really doubt he'll run for this seat.  Douglas will either run for Senate or stay in his cozy little Governors mansion.  Other than Douglas... Peter Welch, maybe?  President of the state Senate, on and off, for close to twenty years and, as a lawyer, does commercials for his firm that run on local TV (solid name recognition and media exposure).

[Smash255]

Sanders will win rather easily, even if Douglas runs

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

of all these candidates, who (from either party) would look to be the most likely to win this seat, in your opinion? 

Probably, the Republican Governor, Jim Douglas.  But I really doubt he'll run for this seat.  Douglas will either run for Senate or stay in his cozy little Governors mansion.  Other than Douglas... Peter Welch, maybe?  President of the state Senate, on and off, for close to twenty years and, as a lawyer, does commercials for his firm that run on local TV (solid name recognition and media exposure).

I also doubt Douglas will run for House, but Dubie very well could.  I don't think any of the other Republicans stand a chance....I have no idea about the IDX guy, but I also don't think he will run for House.

Racine would be strong candidate on the Dem side, as would Welch.   I know basically nothing about the other statewide officials on the list.

Clavelle is an interesting possibility.  He would be the natural candidate for the seat if he hadn't run for Governor.   But I'm not sure how much of the Democratic Party's good will toward him has now evaporated after his disappointing 2004 campaign though.  Perhaps he will run as a Progressive.

[A18]

The socialist hack will probably win easily (I mean, this is Vermont we're talking about), but it'll be interesting to watch, nonetheless.

[South Park Republican]

well at least he if does win he will only have to run for re-lection evry six years as opposed as two. 

But he cn he still be head of the "Progressive Caucus" he gets to the Senate?

A serious issue for voters in the Green Mountain People's Reppublic to ponder.

[ian]

Sanders has my full and unqualified support, and i wish him the best, that he will take that senate seat with an overwhelming margin of the popular vote. 

[Senator X]

Sanders will kill Dougles (Thank God) This is Vermont!
SANDERS06!!!!!