*** Updated below with news of a second challenger, former Rutland representative David Sunderland, who has drawn the support of Lt. Gov. Phil Scott. ***
A month after Vermont Republican Party chairman Jack Lindley was hospitalized with a serious, unspecified illness, he’s well on his way to recovery, according to a close friend and party official.
“He’s doing great. It’s just a spectacular recovery. He’s not ready to run any under-four-minute miles, but it’s really wonderful,” says party treasurer Mark Snelling, who visited Lindley (pictured at right) Wednesday at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. “It’s just unbelievable.”
Lindley’s family and party officials have declined to discuss the nature of his illness since he was admitted to DHMC’s intensive care unit last month, but Snelling says he expects the chairman to make a full recovery. Lindley’s doing so well, Snelling says, he’s hoping to attend the Vermont GOP’s state convention next month, when he’ll be up for reelection.
“I know he hasn’t decided whether he’s going to run for chair or not, but I know he’s considering running,” Snelling says. “He’s having talks with his family. The recovery is occurring at a rate faster than anyone would’ve expected.”
Prior to Lindley’s illness, several party members were considering challenging him, though most have stayed quiet as the incumbent has recovered. One, however, announced Wednesday that he plans to run for the post at the party’s November 9 meeting.
Windsor Republican John MacGovern, who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) last year, emailed friends and supporters to say he would seek the party chairmanship because, he wrote, “We need a new approach.”
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
Republicans don’t need a grass roots effort, but they do need to get back to their roots of being fiscal conservative. They need to refine the message of fiscal responsibility, lowering taxes and fixing the problems we have. We need to stop expanding government and shrink it, and with compassion. Republicans need to shirk the characterization of being anti-women, anti-poor and anti-social anything. Republicans need to shirk the “religious right” and “Tea Party” labels. Being a republican does not mean that you want to end all social welfare benefits or uphold strict Catholic values.
If Republicans want to get back to being more then a fringe party in Vermont they need a message of
– entitlement reform … reform not elimination
– education reform … the property tax is killing people and their is no local control, not when you can’t figure out if your money is feeding another school system or their feeding yours. And school choice should absolutely be an option to everyone.
– Elimination or decreasing the gas tax … The single biggest increase in expenses have been the cost of gas. And with $0.51 of every gallon going into the government coffers that is a huge chunk out of people’s budgets, budgets that were strained 5 years ago when gas prices were $1.70 / gallon. Gas is a spending killer.
– Consolidate state government … there was at one point and I believe there still is 3 separate energy efficency programs. Why can’t there be one all inclusive with 1/3rd the admistrative staff?
– Expand business by eliminating regulations and taxes that discourage growth. Go to Sears and ask to buy a new oven. It will be there in 3 days because they don’t stock them. Why? Vermont has a tax for that, so they store them in NH until someone buys one. How does the local guy do it … he has to keep minimal inventory and larger prices to mitigate the tax.
– Tax people on wealth, not income. If you are living off a trust fund with millions in the bank you should not be getting a prebate on your million dollar home simply because you did not “earn” any money last year. Why is the middle class picking up the tab for this?
– Streamline government and create incentives for saving money. There is so much waste in our government. Look no further then the healthcare website work. The state contract had deadlines with penalties for missing them, the contract was behind. Instead of assessing the penalties what happened …. the government actually gave them a couple more million.
– A meaningful, enforceable, and comprehensive policy on dealing with the drug problem in VT and an end to the “plea bargain.” Plea bargains do nothing but clog up the court, everyone expects to plea bargain down to lesser charges so they make court appearance after court appearance when they know they are guilty simply to try and get the best deal possible. Make it absolutely transparent. This crime gets this penalty period, but make the penalty fit the crime. How many times has a judge ordered 3-5 years all suspended with community service?
– Give it up on the social issues … Roe v. Wade isn’t going away. Gay Marriage isn’t going away. The healthcare exchange passed and is here to stay. The next issue that is going to come along is marijuana legalization. Time to figure out a plan on how to deal with it. The republican party will go away completely in VT if they can not become more socially liberal.
The one lesson the Republican Party in VT needs to learn fast … you need to adapt to the times. Right now out biggest challenge is getting the state and it’s residents on firm footing financially. That has to be the focus for anyone that wants my vote is how are they going to fix the problems we have, not what they are going to create anew and why it makes sense to do it that way.
The Democrats have their act together: you got people at the top raising money for not only themselves, but to build the State party. The Republicans lack a Senator Leahy to host champagne swilling fundraisers, and worse, the wealthy Republicans that do exist seem to be only interested in funding their own quixotic vanity campaigns.
The Progressives as a party looked to have peaked years ago and gone into a long decline. When your top priority is finding placeholder candidates for office to keep the crackpots from hijacking the nomination, you’re done.