In the opening moments of the 2013 legislative session, Sen. Diane Snelling (R-Chittenden) dropped her long-shot bid for Senate President Pro Tem, choosing instead to nominate her would-be opponent: Sen. John Campbell (D-Windsor).
“This may seem surprising to some. However, I have been promised nothing more and nothing less than a fair and normal process, and a focused and productive Senate,” Snelling (pictured at right) said from the Senate floor. “Many positive changes are in place to create the predictability that will ensure that. And I’m grateful that we can begin our work today with a clear understanding of our responsibilities.”
Snelling’s move cleared the way for Campbell, who was first elected president pro tem two years ago, to unanimously win reelection.
In brief remarks to the chamber, he compared Vermont’s collegial legislature favorably to the U.S. Congress, arguing that in Montpelier — unlike Washington — elected representatives refuse to let partisanship get in the way.
“What matters is that we do the job — do something that’s right for Vermonters,” Campbell said. “More importantly, that we keep in mind that we have to look out for our most vulnerable of our population: the elderly, the disabled, the children. And I can say that in my 12 years here we have done that.”
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