Bernie Sanders

The man who calls himself the "only candidate for federal office whose campaign exposes visual evidence disproving the official conspiracy theory of 9/11" is challenging U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Windsor) in the Democratic primary for the state's At-Large Congressional District seat.

And if history is any indication, Welch can expect to face Montpelier resident Craig Hill again in the general election even after defeating him in the primary.

Hill ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2004 and lost to U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Middlesex) who received 94.3 percent of the vote. After losing the primary, Hill then challenged Leahy as a Green party candidate in the general election and finished fourth with 1.3 percent.

In 2006, he again ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and drew just 1.3 percent against then-U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Burlington), who received over 94 percent as a write-in candidate. Hill then ran as a Green in the general election and drew just 0.5 percent of the vote, finishing fourth.

For Bernie Sanders, persistence has paid off. With every statewide run since 1972, he was able to increase his percentage of the vote, until ultimately winning a seat in the House in 1990 and later a U.S. Senate seat in 2006.

Progressive Party gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina held a rally on Thursday, yet led most observers to believe that he was going to announce his challenge to Brian Dubie for lieutenant governor. Speculation on the morning news was that Pollina would bow out of the race for governor, giving former House Speaker Gaye Symington, a Democrat, a clear shot to unseat Republican Gov. Jim Douglas this fall. And the Progressives and Democrats would be again lining up their interests for the greater good.

But it was not to be ... Pollina announced to Vermont he was staying put and going to act the spoiler.

Democrats are likely watching their chances to take the governorship slip away.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders: Photo by Getty ImagesAs we suffer with rising gas prices and no relief insight, Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign is running ads in Indiana proposing suspension of the gas tax, a proposal Republican John McCain floated a week earlier. Yet, Clinton has a way to pay for it.

"The Windfall Profits Tax," often pushed by Vermont's very own Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, is Clinton's remedy to make up the revenue short-fall from the federal government giving us some relief. And with ExxonMobil this week releasing record profits -- again -- this proposal may pick up steam in the Rust Belt.

While economists consistently highlight that this new tax will make our problems worse by drive more crude to the developing markets of China and India, Democratic primary voters will surely rejoice "in sticking it to the man." And right now, there's no bigger "man" than Big Oil.

Vermont state House Speaker Gaye SymingtonMore than 400 excited Vermont Democratic Party activists gathered Friday night to hear U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd speak at the party's Curtis Leadership Awards. While the speech by the Connecticut Democrat and one-time presidential hopeful was the main attraction, more importantly was Gaye Symington. The state House speaker, who is weighing a gubernatorial run, took on a more prominent role at the events.

It is clear the game of musical chairs has begun. As a potential Symington run against Republican Gov. Jim Douglas seems more imminent, change also seems to be in the air for the House leadership.

Last night, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders made his national comedy debut on the "Colbert Report" and he was a star. As always he was on message and Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert was the perfect foil.

Bernie discussed his usual message of income inequity and the unfairness of capitalism. And with Colbert playful jests, Sen. Sanders made his point brilliantly.

As the Democratic presidential campaign continues and Hillary Clinton's lead among super-delegates shrinks, some odd questions begin to get asked.

Odd questions, but not unreasonable. For example, could either of the U.S. Senate's two independents help decide who the Democratic presidential nominee might be at the national convention in Denver?  read more »

Will Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley screw over Hillary Clinton by not taking away a Barack Obama superdelegate?