Pollina Runs For State Senate As A Progressive And Democrat

AP Photo/Toby Talbot

(Host) The most prominent member of Vermont's Progressive Party will run for the state Senate as a Democrat and a Progressive.

Anthony Pollina has previously run for statewide office. He says his Senate campaign should serve a model for other Progressives around the state.

VPR's Bob Kinzel reports.

(Kinzel) In 2008, Pollina ran for governor as a Progressive candidate and finished second - ahead of Democratic candidate Gaye Symington.

The election served as a clear reminder that it's usually the Republicans who benefit in a race where the Democrats and the Progressives both field relatively strong candidates.

But two years ago, another model emerged at the local level when Burlington Progressive Tim Ashe entered the Democratic primary for the state Senate in Chittenden County.

Ashe was successful in the primary and went on to be elected as a Progressive and Democratic candidate.

Pollina says he wants to follow this strategy in this year's Senate race in Washington County.

(Pollina) "I've always seen the merits in reaching out to Democrats and others in trying to form broad coalitions to win campaigns. So I think what I'm engaged in right now is a good model."

(Kinzel) Pollina says there's no question that local Democratic leaders and the party's statewide leaders have a very different attitude about him.

(Pollina) "When I ran for governor two years ago, I made a great effort to reach out to the Democratic leadership and sit down and meet with them and talk about working together. I was not able to get them to do that. On the other hand, in contrast, I've attended some Democratic meetings in the county here recently. And generally people have been very welcoming and want to work together."

(Kinzel) After running for statewide office a number of times during his political career, Pollina says the state Senate is a good place for him to be directly involved in a number of issues.

(Pollina) "I've been able to work with legislators, whether they're Republicans Democrats or Progressives. I think that the Senate is a good place for me to continue to do the kind of work that I've been doing for the last 30 years with Vermonters around the state."

(Kinzel) For the first time in a decade, there's a vacancy in the three-member Washington County Senate delegation. This situation is expected to draw a large number of Republicans, Democrats and independents to this race.