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Dems may have a candidate for Lt. Gov.

Thursday, 06/19/08

John Dillon - Montpelier, Vt.

AP Photo/T. Talbot
(Host) The Democrats may have a candidate for lieutenant governor.

Mendon Representative Harry Chen says he's seriously considering entering the race. Chen is a physician and has been a leader in the Legislature's health care reform initiatives.

VPR's John Dillon reports:

(Dillon) Harry Chen works as an emergency room doctor at the Rutland Regional Medical Center.

He's vice chairman of the House Health Care Committee and has made health care reform his top legislative priority.

(Chen) "If I did run it would be to further the issues which I've been passionate about and involved in, and obviously top on that list would be health care. And this would, I hope, allow me to continue to have an influence on where Vermont goes."

(Host) Chen has served in the Legislature for six years. He says he'd made the decision not to run again for his House seat, but was then approached by the Democratic Party to consider a run for lieutenant governor.

(Chen) "I've been really grateful for the opportunity I've had as a legislator. I feel like we've made some good progress on health care. But I really felt at this point in my life, I wanted to look at what my options were, not knowing that this might come up."

(Dillon) Chen says he's now trying to weigh the political and professional challenges involved in a race for higher office.

He says he'd like to work together on a campaign with House Speaker Gaye Symington, the Democratic candidate for governor.

(Chen) "One of the most attractive things to me is to be able to run with one of my mentors, Gaye Symington, in terms of being able to run as a team. So that's an important consideration in my decision."

(Dillon) Chen says he'll decide within the next few weeks. If he runs, he would face incumbent Republican Brian Dubie, who has served three terms.

For VPR News, I'm John Dillon in Montpelier.

AP Photo/Toby Talbot

© Copyright 2009, VPR

This is the online edition of VPR News. Text versions of VPR news stories may be updated and they may vary slightly from the broadcast version.

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