Franklin County Republicans sent three nominees to Gov. Phil Scott Friday night to fill the vacant state Senate seat left by Dustin Degree when he took a job as special assistant to the governor and executive director of workforce expansion.
The Franklin Senatorial District Committee, which is made up of local Republican Party officials, chose Randy Brock of Swanton, Daniel Pipes of Fairfield and Steve Trahan of St. Albans Town in a meeting Friday evening, according to Rep. Brian Savage (R-Swanton).
If Scott taps him to serve out Degree’s term, Brock would replace his replacement: He served two terms in the Senate, from 2009 to 2013, and unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Democrat Peter Shumlin for governor in 2012. After sitting out the 2014 election, Brock lost the race for lieutenant governor to Progressive/Democrat David Zuckerman in 2016. Prior to joining the Senate, Brock served as state auditor from 2005 to 2007.
Trahan, the former chair of the Franklin County Republican Party, ran for state representative in 2012.
Governors typically fill vacant Senate seats with those nominated by senatorial district committees, but they are free to select from outside that pool. Scott’s pick will serve alongside Sen. Carolyn Branagan (R-Franklin) in the two-member district through the 2018 election.
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Please. Not Mr Brock. He will slash entitlements which in turn will make Vermont lose population. If Mr Scott truly wants to grow the population he will not slash the numero uno reason to move here!
Mr. Quintana: Entitlements are the number one reason to move to Vermont? Seriously? If that is the case Vermont will definitely lose population, since working Vermonters cannot afford to continue to support a rising population of those who feel entitled.
Sen. Benning – I agree that Mr. Quintana’s comment was odd, but I’m also concerned about your comment. You referred to people receiving public assistance because they “feel entitled.” Do you really believe that all of the children, elderly, single moms and working families who need a helping hand “feel entitled” or are simply trying to meet their basic needs in difficult circumstances? I hope you didn’t mean it quite as it sounded.
Doug – I think Sen. Benning made have inadvertently given us people a true insight into how he views the people who receive government assistance.
Brock understands numbers and is a professional auditor. It would be great to have him in the legislature.
Doug Hoffer: I think you need to reread the thread. It was Mr. Quintana who claimed that the number one reason to move to Vermont was the entitlements. I didn’t refer at all “to people receiving public assistance because they ‘feel entitled’.” But you did, and then tried to imply I’m somehow not caring in that regard, which is quite ironic given how I’ve dedicated my life to supporting the most disadvantaged among us. And Mr. Salem appears to have jumped on your bandwagon. My point was that I found it offensive for Mr. Quintana to suggest the number one reason to come to Vermont is to receive entitlements. No more, no less. If that is truly the mindset of people coming here, your and my respective jobs are going to become far more difficult since we are currently struggling to support those already here. And maybe I’m out of touch, but I happen to believe Vermont’s way of life is a far more important reason to come here than for the free stuff Mr. Quintana appears to believe he is entitled to.
I first heard of Vermont in my hometown of Jalisco. Dairy work for good money and a compassionate people that will not let you starve. The gifts of your people are most welcome. I do not wish to start argument between Mr Hoffer and Mr Benning. For this I am sorry.
Sen. Benning: I have read and re-read the thread. You first used the phrase “feel entitled,” which surprised me, since I know you. I didn’t imply that you’re not caring, I simply asked whether I had misunderstood your comment. You have now answered the question.
The people of Franklin County have spoken a number of times and said we don’t want Brock representing us. Yet somehow this retread keeps showing back up again.
I know many people in Franklin County on both sides of the isle who endorse Brock as a sensible, caring man who would serve well in the Senate. Experience matters, especially in the middle of a session, where a new-comer would struggle with learning the ropes. Randy would hit the ground running and know many of the “Players”. Randy Brock is the best choice.