Bevans is sole candidate for Democratic party chair

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(Host) Vermont Democrats are scheduled to meet later this morning to elect a party chair.

And their only candidate is Judy Bevans, the Orleans County chairwoman and the state vice chair.

VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports.

(Sneyd) Bevans has already been in charge of the party for the past few weeks, since former chairman Ian Carleton decided to step down.

She says she’s got organizing skills that will serve the party well as it regroups and prepares for the 2010 election.

Bevans says as party chair, she’ll make sure candidates have the money and information they need.

(Bevans) "Certainly doing all of the work, the background work of the party, plus raising money. … As someone says, make sure the trains run on time. That’s the work of the party, to make sure people are signed up, to make sure the addresses are right, to make sure everybody is pointing in the right direction, which is toward electing Democrats. That’s really my job.”

(Sneyd) If Bevans wants to continue in the job for the 2010 election, she’ll have to run again for a full term in November.

She says she hasn’t decided yet whether she’ll run for the post in the fall.

Other Democrats have begun to make plans for the future though. Several prominent party members already have indicated they want to run for governor.

Bevans says she’ll stay out of the maneuvering for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

But she says she’s confident of her party’s chances in a year-and-a-half.

(Bevans) "I think if we do our job well and we will, we will protect all the seats that we have. We are focused on winning the governor’s race. We are focused on protecting all our House and Senate seats and adding to them.”

(Sneyd) Bevans says she’s not worried the Democrats’ support for same-sex marriage will threaten their legislative majorities, as it did nine years ago with civil unions.

For VPR News, I’m Ross Sneyd.

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