Seven years ago, a 22-year-old California native named Kesha Ram sought a seat in the Vermont House just months after graduating from the University of Vermont.
“Right out of the gate, I was underestimated,” Ram said Monday evening, speaking to supporters at Burlington’s Main Street Landing. “I was called a kitten with lipstick. And I, a young woman fresh out of college, was asked: What could I possibly bring to the table?”
Evidently, some political skills. In a hotly contested race in Burlington’s Old North End, the Democratic novice defeated Progressive incumbent Chris Pearson, becoming the youngest member of the legislature in 2009. (Ram didn’t identify the author of the “kitten” comment in her speech, but she later said it was an anonymous commenter on a news website.)
“We showed our opponents that this kitten with lipstick could win a House seat,” Ram said as she prepared to launch her next big political campaign. “Now, as I travel around the state and stand before you, I am humbled and honored to announce my candidacy to be Vermont’s next lieutenant governor.”
Ram, who revealed two weeks ago that she’d seek the state’s No. 2 job, was the first in the race to hold a formal campaign kickoff. Marlboro Democrat Brandon Riker has been campaigning for the post since last spring, while former state auditor and senator Randy Brock, a Swanton Republican, jumped into the race early this month. Others, such as Sen. Phil Baruth (D-Chittenden), Sen. David Zuckerman (P/D-Chittenden) and Sen. Joe Benning (R-Caledonia), are also considering running.
Though he might not be an active user of the hashtag, Rep. Bill Botzow (D-Pownal), a 70-year-old legislator from Bennington County, cited Ram’s relative youth as a key attribute as he introduced her.
“How many people are millennials or on the cusp of millennial in this room?” he asked the crowd.
Like most candidates seeking public office in Vermont this year, Ram devoted much of her announcement speech to the notion of affordability.
“The bottom line is we cannot continue to ask Vermonters to pay a Vermont premium on their cost of living while they take a Vermont discount on their wages,” she said.
To address the problem, Ram said she would fight to make early childhood education, college, homeownership and internet access more affordable. If elected, she pledged, she would be “the people’s advocate in Montpelier.”
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So, what did she bring to the table? Affordability? She’ll lose on that issue very easily. This is going to be a year of big gains for Republicans. Instead of adopting their affordability issue people like Ram should concentrate on getting people out to vote, something they failed to do in 2014, nearly resulting in Scott Milne’s election. The Progs lost control of Burlington because of complacency and the Dems are in danger of doing the same thing in the state house.
Seriously, how can someone who wants to raise taxes and increase regulation over every aspect of our lives, and who has never held a private sector job, and who has probably never paid a property tax bill, talk, of all things, about “affordability” in Vermont?
Good one, knowyourassumptions. Prob makes Ms. Ram a perfect candidate. Could likely achieve a cabinet post in a Sanders administration, too.
I also have reservations about Ram’s ideas of what affordability is. So far the definition appears to be to raise taxes and provide subsidies and that can only go on for so long. I think we have reached the point this type of outlook needs to be changed. Then maybe our young people will move back to VT or stay (at least the ones who do not want to be subsidized)
If VT raised the minimum wage to $15, more people would be able to afford what is unaffordable now. Fewer working people would need public assistance, working people would have their dignity restored, and experience has shown prosperity follows.
But what can the Lite Gov do about affordability anyway? Within the perimeters of the job description, what is possible?
I’m voting for Kesha to achieve gender balance at the top in hopes that it will trickle down through every level of government.
“I’m voting for Kesha to achieve gender balance at the top in hopes that it will trickle down through every level of government.”
Ah, so then you must also be planning to vote for Hillary, rather than Bernie. You know, to “achieve gender balance at the top.”
Kesha, What happened between you and your “campaign manager” Brandon Batham – Enquiring Minds Want To Know !
I find it interesting that knowyourassumptions, has a ton of assumptions in his comments. Never had a private sector job, never paid a property tax bill. Hmmm you need to do your research before making your comments.