State of Vermont Archives: on Principles & Values


Patrick Leahy: Lifelong Batman fan; has done cameos in several movies

A lifelong Batman fan, Leahy provided the voice for a governor in the Old West on Batman: The Animated Series (1992), made a cameo appearance as himself in Batman & Robin (1997), and appeared in Batman Forever (1995), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and The Dark Knight (2008). He wrote an introduction for "The Dark Knight Archives," a 1992 compilation, and a preface for "Batman: Death of Innocents," a 1996 graphic novel about land mines.
Source: IMDB Biography for 2022 Vermont Senate race Jun 22, 2021

Lawrence Zupan: Running on principles of life, liberty and private property

Lawrence Zupan's platform is built on restoring the fundamental principles of America's greatness, including Constitutionally guaranteed respect for life, liberty and private property.
Source: VT Digger on 2018 Vermont Senate race Sep 7, 2018

Christine Hallquist: Monthly town halls and weekly audio broadcasts as governor

Hold monthly town halls in rotating counties across the state to receive feedback from Vermonters. In a weekly audio broadcast available to all Vermonters, Christine will explain what she did each week and will recap what is going on in Montpelier. Launch a digital platform for State Employees and citizens to share ideas on improving state government.
Source: 2018 VT governor Campaign website ChristineForVermont.com Sep 1, 2018

Brooke Paige: Nominee for Secretary of State (won 4 other nominations too)

Brooke Paige is a Republican candidate running for Vermont Secretary of State. Paige advanced to the general election on November 6, 2018, after advancing from the primary election on August 14, 2018. Paige also advanced from the August 14 primary in the following races: U.S. House, Attorney General, State Auditor, and State Treasurer. He withdrew from these races in August 2018.

Candidates in Vermont can file to run in the primary contests for multiple offices. They may only choose one office for which to run in the general election, after which the party may nominate a candidate to fill the vacancy on the general election ballot.

Paige was a Democratic candidate for governor of Vermont in the 2016 election. He was also a 2016 candidate for state attorney general. He lost both races in the August 9 primary. Paige previously ran for the same two positions in 2014. He was also a 2012 candidate for the U.S. Senate, running as a Republican in that campaign.

Source: Ballotpedia.org on 2018 Vermont Senate race Aug 14, 2018

Patrick Leahy: Co-sponsored Do No Harm Act: keep church and state separate

The Do No Harm Act, a bill that's designed to ensure that the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) continues to provide important protections for religious exercise while clarifying that RFRA may not be used to discriminate against or otherwise harm others, was introduced in the Senate in May. Patrick Leahy co-introduced the legislation.

Americans United supports the legislation. AU's President said that "the Do No Harm Act will ensure that we honor two core American values: religious freedom and the promise of equal protection under the law."

Congress enacted the federal RFRA in 1993 with the goal of protecting religious freedom, especially for religious minorities. At that time, a broad coalition of progressive & conservative groups supported the law. But since then, the federal RFRA has been misinterpreted by some courts and has become a vehicle for those who want to use religion to undermine protections for civil rights and access to health care.

Source: Church & State Magazine, AU.org, on 2016 Vermont Senate race Aug 8, 2018

Phil Scott: The right leader at the right time

Q: Why are you running for this office?

Phil Scott: I am running for Governor because I firmly believe that I am the right leader at the right time to move Vermont forward. As a lifelong Vermonter, small-business owner, and public servant, I'm frustrated by business as usual in Montpelier. We need to focus on the fundamentals, like economic development and making Vermont more affordable. Throughout my political career, I've been a consensus builder--working with Democrats, Republicans, Progressives, and Independents to accomplish common-sense legislation that moves our state in the right direction. As Governor, I will continue to reach across the aisle. I recognize that there are a lot of egos in Montpelier. But my focus has never been getting credit. My priority is getting things done for Vermonters.

Source: LWV's Vote411.org on 2016 Vermont Gubernatorial Race Sep 19, 2016

Peter Shumlin: Retiring after three terms to return to the business world

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin says he won't run for a fourth, two-year term next year. Shumlin announced his plans at a news conference where he outlined the successes of his administration and identified challenges still to come. The Democrat had survived a tough re-election fight in November, outspending little-known business owner Scott Milne but still drawing less than 50% of the vote and forcing the Legislature to decide the outcome in January.

Shumlin also had to abandon one of his signature efforts: a universal, government-backed health care system often referred to as single-payer. The 59-year-old Shumlin, who was first elected in 2010, said he never had any desire to be a full-time politician. He said he'll return to the business world.

Source: Washington Times on 2016 Vermont gubernatorial race Jun 8, 2015

Bernie Sanders: Lost campaigns in 1972, 1974 & 1988 before winning in 1990

If At First You Don't Succeed... The CQ Roll Call members database reveals that 18 members of the 113th Congress mounted multiple unsuccessful campaigns before finally winning a seat.
Source: Cong. Quarterly Rollcall mag. on 2014 Vermont Senate race Mar 20, 2014

John MacGovern: Runs the Hanover Institute, a Dartmouth alumni group

MacGovern, 61, a graduate of Dartmouth College, served in the Massachusetts Legislature during the 1980s. He moved to Vermont in 1999. He currently runs the Hanover Institute, which he describes as an independent group of Dartmouth alumni formed to protect their voice in an expanded governing board. This is his first run for statewide elected office in Vermont.
Source: Boston Globe on 2012 Vermont Senate debate Oct 18, 2012

John MacGovern: Served four terms in the Massachusetts legislature

MacGovern grew up on a vegetable farm in Massachusetts, graduated from Dartmouth College and then pursued a business career. In the mid-1980s he served four terms in the Massachusetts legislature, lost a close race for a U.S. House seat in Massachusetts and moved with his wife to Vermont in the 1990s. He has since unsuccessfully run for the Vermont legislature three times and is president of the Hanover Institute.
Source: Burlington Free Press, on 2012 Vermont Senate debate Aug 27, 2012

John MacGovern: Raised on an organic communal dairy farm

According to the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine profile, MacGovern grew up on a dairy farm that "bore a striking resemblance to a hippie commune. Children wore robes, milked cows, tilled an organic farm." MacGovern told the magazine: "The goal was to be totally self-sufficient. There was no contact with the outside; no newspapers, no radio, no television."

MacGoverns' parents belonged to the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, according to the magazine article, which is a Catholic sect founded by a Jesuit activist who was ultimately ex-communicated. MacGovern's father died when he was young, the article says, and his mother became a nun within the order. "Which might not have been as traumatic as it would have been in a secular context," the article's author writes, "given that the order's common practice was to dissolve the parental bond early anyway."

Source: SevenDaysVT.com on 2018 Vermont Senate race Mar 9, 2012

Larry Drown: America needs a change in culture as well as politics

America needs a change in culture as well as politics. We need to become again a nation that values health, hard work, innovation, education, the environment and each other. We were the nation that led the world into the industrial revolution, put the first man on the moon, provided education to all and our national park system is second to none.
Source: 2006 Senate campaign website, www.drownforvermont.com Jun 24, 2006

  • The above quotations are from State of Vermont Politicians: Archives.
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2020 Presidential contenders on Principles & Values:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Oct 14, 2021