Most politicians try to win elections. Clem Bissonnette tried not to. But on Tuesday, he won an eighth term in the Vermont House anyway.
By Wednesday afternoon, he decided to embrace the victory after all. Bissonnette announced that he will keep the seat, changing his plan to move out of Winooski this year and retire.
“I told people not to vote for me,” 73-year-old Bissonnette explained to Seven Days. “Seeing I still got elected, it seems to me that the people want me to go back to Montpelier.”
The Democratic lawmaker won a primary in August. But the next month, he announced his intention to retire to the Northeast Kingdom, where he and his wife, Sharon, had purchased a home. He resigned from the House. He told voters he didn’t really want to be on the ballot — but it was too late to remove his name.
If he were not willing to serve, Republican Gov. Phil Scott would appoint someone to the seat. Now, that won’t happen.
That’s a double blow for Hal Colston.
He’s the Winooski Democrat who decided to wage a write-in campaign for Bissonnette’s seat. Colston, who ran a successful write-in campaign to get on the Winooski City Council in March, didn’t manage a repeat this week.
The write-in votes totaled 939, while Bissonnette collected 1,184 votes and incumbent Rep. Diana González (P/D-Winooski) received 1,824 votes.
That tally gave González and Bissonnette return tickets to Montpelier — even though political observers assumed Bissonnette would decline the trip.
Colston said Wednesday that he had hoped, if he failed at the polls, to be considered for an appointment to the seat. Now that’s not an option. But Colston still wants to go to Montpelier. “I’m interested in serving and I’ll be running in the next election, on the ballot,” Colston said.
Colston said he was pleased with the support he got as a write-in candidate. “I’m not feeling too shabby,” he said.
“I wish him well,” he said of Bissonnette.
The change of heart for Bissonnette came as the results filtered in Tuesday night.
“I did not campaign,” he said. “I did not spend a cent on the election. The people still elected me.”
He entered local politics in 1970 and has served as city councilor, mayor and legislator for the Onion City.
He and his wife aren’t planning to sell their Winooski home until the spring of 2019, Bissonnette said. He might then rent a room in Winooski to finish out his term in the legislature. It’s also possible he would resign before the full two years is up, he said.
Bissonnette said he is sure he’s heading to the Statehouse in January.
He said, “We’re going to Montpelier and we’re going to take it day by day.’’
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
Or – and hear me out – Clem could give up the reins of power that he has held for decades and let a new generation of progressive politicians (who actually live in Winooski) represent the district in the Lege.
I hate to burst old Clem’s bubble, but he didn’t win because of some astonishing groundswell of support or because of some sentimental impulse on the part of Winooski voters. He won because the ballot said to choose two candidates, and there were only two listed, and he was one of them. Many people would not have even known that a write-in candidate was running, let alone have taken the time to learn about him and then make the effort to write in his name. Old Clem won by default, and any other interpretation of the results is pure delusion. He said he was retiring and didn’t want the seat; he should do the honorable thing and stick to his word, instead of convincing himself that the citizens of Winooski cannot live without him.
So Clem Bissonette wins a primary, but within a month he walks away from that responsibility and priviliege, resigns from his seat, and says he isn’t running. Hal Colston steps in, assumes the responsibility of running for that office, to help hold a seat for the Democrats. He invests time, energy, and money in to that campaign. We know that the even the best run write-in campaign is an uphill battle. It’s no surprise that the person whose name is listed on the ballet gets more votes. Many people don’t follow the background stories of an election, and will vote for the party or for a more familiar name. For Hal Colston to receive 939 votes despite a write in campaign is very impressive. Mr Bissonette is disrepecting this democratic process and should change his mind- again. I hope the Democratic party is telling him this.