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(Host) Candidates in Vermont’s primary election are headed into the final weekend of the campaign with a flurry of activity.
But, as VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, there’s just as much attention on the general election.
(Sneyd) This is the time in the campaign when candidates tout the endorsements they’re winning from newspapers.
Chris Bray is a Democrat from New Haven who is running for lieutenant governor.
He sent out an alert to his supporters to let them know he’d won the backing of the Bennington Banner, the Herald of Randolph, the St. Albans Messenger and the Addison Independent.
But one of the more unusual newspaper endorsements was for Jason Gibbs, the Republican running for secretary of state.
His campaign sent out an email quoting from the Caledonian-Record’s endorsement. The St. Johnsbury newspaper said: "Gibbs is a refreshing oddity."
The Caledonian went on to explain that what makes him ‘odd’ are his ideas for cutting costs and saving money, both of which support his campaign message.
In the governor’s race, some new ads were emerging. Such as this one from Matt Dunne.
(Dunne) "Vermont is an extraordinary state. But since Brian Dubie was elected we have lost jobs and had a steady decline in business starts."
(Sneyd) Dunne’s is an online ad and it’s a message that the other four Democrats he’s competing with in next week’s primary are delivering.
They’ve tried to target Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie, who faces no opposition in the Republican primary.
That’s allowed Dubie to begin framing the general election campaign, regardless of the Democrat he’ll face.
(Dubie) "Leadership matters. Brian Dubie has a vision for a better Vermont. To help small businesses create jobs, reform the regulatory process so companies can start hiring again, cut taxes for struggling families so they can keep more of what they earn."
(Sneyd) That’s an ad that the Republican Governors Association has produced for Dubie.
And did you notice the narrator’s voice? That’s the governor Dubie hopes to succeed. Jim Douglas.
For VPR News, I’m Ross Sneyd.