(Host) This year’s heated competition for top state offices has left some big openings in the Vermont Senate because a number of powerful senators have vacated their seats to run for higher office.
The rush to fill those vacancies is one reason there are spirited contests in several parts of the state in this week’s primary.
VPR’s Susan Keese has the story.
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(Keese) In a living room in Brattleboro, Peter Galbraith is doing what candidates do: interacting with voters. He’s talking about Vermont as a leader in alternative technology.
(Galbraith) "We’re a small state. These are very expensive projects. We’ll need investment and we’ll need markets. Where is the biggest market for green energy technology? It’s going to be India, Pakistan, the Middle East."
(Keese) Galbraith hopes to fill the spot left open by Senate President Peter Shumlin, who’s running for governor. Galbraith is one of three candidates for two Windham County seats.
He’s also a high profile diplomat, a former ambassador to Croatia with a deep resume in South Asia and the Middle East.
(Galbraith) "It’s not going to hurt to have one state senator out of 30 with international experience."
(Keese) Also running are Jeanette White, a popular incumbent, and Toby Young, who chaired the House Health and Welfare Committee in the 1980s.
Young worked hard for single payer health care then and has stayed active in public policy and health issues.
(Young) "I understand it very well and the time seems to have come for its passage. Also, there’s a vacancy in the Senate and that was something I always thought I’d be interested in."
(Keese) Young would like to chair the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. The spot was held most recently by Doug Racine, who is also leaving to run for governor.
There’s also a Democratic primary in Racine’s Chittenden County district, with seven Democrats vying for six seats.
There’s a five-way Democratic race in Washington County, for an opening left by Republican Phil Scott, who’s running for lieutenant governor. Among the Democrats competing there is Anthony Pollina, who’s run repeatedly for Vermont’s top offices as a Progressive.
The only Republican Senate primary is in Rutland, though the GOP has five House primaries around the state.
Democrats also have House primaries in five districts.
For VPR News, I’m Susan Keese.