Two former presidential candidates weighed in Tuesday on Vermont’s Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) endorsed state Sen. David Zuckerman (P/D-Chittenden) for the No. 2 job. Hours later, former Democratic governor Howard Dean announced his support for House Speaker Shap Smith (D-Morristown).
Zuckerman, Smith and a third candidate, Rep. Kesha Ram (D-Burlington), are squaring off in an August 9 primary. Former state senator and auditor Randy Brock is running unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Statewide candidates have been eagerly awaiting word on potential endorsements from Sanders, whose recently concluded presidential campaign has made him a national star. But until this week, the only Vermont candidate he’d publicly supported this year was Rep. Chris Pearson (P-Burlington), who is running for the state Senate.
On Tuesday, Sanders broke his silence.
He said he was “confident” that Zuckerman would make an “excellent” lieutenant governor.
Whether Sanders would hit the campaign trail or tap his extensive fundraising network on Zuckerman’s behalf wasn’t immediately clear. His spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Also unclear was whether Sanders would weigh in on the gubernatorial race. His campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, announced his own support for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Dunne last Friday.
“We were actually going to wait until later in the week,” the former governor explained. “But when Bernie did this, we figured, ‘Why not do it now and be in the same [news] cycle?’”
Dean said he had known Smith “for a long time” and was particularly impressed by his efforts to expand the Dr. Dynasaur health insurance program to those 26 and under.
“He’s incredibly competent, and he knows the Statehouse inside and out,” Dean said of the speaker. “I’m looking for a team that’s going to get a lot done.”
Dean, who endorsed Democrat Sue Minter for governor last week, said he had “nothing against” Smith’s primary opponents.
Ram may not have earned the endorsement of a former presidential candidate, but she has the support of a former governor: Madeleine Kunin introduced the state rep at her campaign kickoff last October.
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Is anyone surprised by Sanders endorsement of Zuckerman? Intelligent, competent and pragmatic have no place in Bernieville. Bernie likes candidates like himself, extreme left-wing, emotionally driven, arrogant and highly ineffective. Hopefully Vermonters will show some common sense and soundly reject Bernie’s chosen one.
Kesha Ram is a career Human Being and a highly effective legislator. She’s got my vote
No, Kesha Ram is a politician. A fast talking politician who is fluent in the language of politically correct. A politician who knows how to appeal to knee-jerk leftists. A politician who says absolutely nothing but “We need to have a conversation about that.” A kid who is barely out of college who doesn’t even know what the private sector is or does. A person who has absolutely no qualifications to run the State of Vermont if something should happen to the Governor.
I, unlike some others in the comments, trust Bernie’s judgement. If Bernie says David Zuckerman is a good fit then I will pay more attention to him than in the past. My opinion only.
No one should rely on a politician’s “endorsement” in deciding whom to vote for. Decide for yourself or don’t vote.
I trust Bernie over Howard Dean any day of the week. People seem to have forgotten how middle-of-the-road Dean was when he was gov, and how he never met a donor he didn’t like. Thanks, but no thanks
I enjoyed meeting David Zuckerman, a hard working Vermont farmer with an impressive political career in line with my values. I am with Bernie’s endorsement.