Sen. John Rodgers (D-Essex/Orleans) is running for governor of Vermont after all.
The deadline to get onto the ballot was May 31, but Angelo Napolitano, a self-described right-leaning Libertarian from Waitsfield, is launching a campaign to get voters to write in Rodgers during the Democratic primary.
Rodgers, a fierce gun rights supporter, toyed with the idea of running in April after Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed sweeping gun regulations into law. The state senator decided against it last month, citing the demands of running his construction business.
Rodgers acquiesced when Napolitano and others approached him about running as a write-in candidate, but he said his construction work would prevent him from campaigning for the primary.
“It’s sort of grassroots effort, and they certainly seem to be doing some work,” Rodgers noted in an interview Thursday.
Rodgers also made it clear he wanted to run as a Democrat, though he’d previously considered running as a Republican or independent. “I’ve always served as a Democrat. That’s what I feel like I am, even though I feel like the state party has left me,” he said.
Rodgers will face off against four other Democratic candidates whose names will be on the ballot: James Ehlers, Christine Hallquist, Brenda Siegel and 14-year-old Ethan Sonneborn.
Calling the arrangement a “win-win” for Rodgers, Napolitano pointed out that if the write-in campaign fails, Rodgers can still run for his state Senate seat. “If he beats the other Democrats, which he will, then he goes on to face Phil Scott, and he’s got a better than 80/20 chance of beating Phil Scott,” Napolitano predicted.
Napolitano said the gun legislation was only part of what inspired the effort. “He’s one of the last blue dog Democrats,” he said of Rodgers, noting that the write-in candidate “is the only one that has the fire in his belly to beat Phil Scott.”
Vermont Public Radio first reported the resurrection of Rodgers’ candidacy.
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John Rodgers will not be receiving a profile in courage award, that’s for sure.
Rogers gives hypocrisy a bad name. He does not have the courage to enter the primary in the race for Governor, but will keep his “safe seat” and allow his far right lunatic friends to run a right-in campaign for him. What a coward!
John Rodgers believes in hunting of any kind. This means running hounds 9 months a year, day and night, after bear, coyotes, raccoons, bobcats and foxes. This is not ethical hunting. Adding commonsense regulations to our laws to prevent animal cruelty and protect pets and landowners is important and smart. There is no way for an animal, 1 animal pitted against 6 hounds, can get away from a pack of hounds. Once the trail is picked up the animal is doomed and houndsmen do not even have to report if their hounds kill or injure wildlife during training. Hounds have been bred for running. They are long-legged and do not tire. Bear are not designed to run. Yet one hunter posted a bear, cornered by his dogs, who had been chased over 5 miles. Coyotes are run till they drop the hunter often non-lethally wounds (shoots) the coyote and lets the hounds kill it by tearing it apart. Wildlife belongs to all of us and passing regulations to prevent killing games will not end hunting or take away gun rights, but will protect and strengthen ethical hunter’s rights.
Same haircut since high school. Why mess with perfection?
Sounds someone on here doesn’t have a clue about hunting. Maybe this person should meet some hunters and know the truth. Coyotes are not pets. They will kill your pets, farm animals anything…
Laura Wilson….this man is willing to pick up the torch and do something constructive for the state of Vermont. You find fault with that?
I have yet to see you post one decent comment abut this patriot who chooses to uphold the Constitution of Vermont without wavering in spite of the opposition to his courage.
Are you calling the courageous people the ones that chose to sell Vermonter’s out with their disgusting legislation that is destroying Vermont?
You should be embarrassed.
Because John refuses to neglect previous commitments in his business that prevented him from running a campaign it makes him a hypocrite?
Edward Clark makes the statement above, “. He does not have the courage to enter the primary in the race for Governor, but will keep his “safe seat” and allow his far right lunatic friends to run a right-in campaign for him. What a coward!.”
Edward did you bother to research why John did not enter the race? There is a video interview with Keith Hanson that pretty much explains it. Maybe you should watch it and then issue a well deserved apology to one of the greatest men to serve Vermonter’s under the golden dome.
Maybe you should thank his far right lunatic friends for bringing the most qualified candidate for Governor to the table to rescue us from the destruction doled out by unqualified representation out to destroy this state and her culture.
Thank you John Rodgers for you unwavering support for the people in the State of Vermont.