Democratic operative Ryan Emerson said Friday he’s leaving his job as spokesman for the Vermont Democratic Party and running for the Burlington City Council.

“I’m running because I really want to step up and do something different,” Emerson (pictured at right) said. “I feel like I can bring a lot to the Old North End. It’s been my home for the past few years. I’ve worked behind the scenes in Vermont politics and I want to use that experience to help my community.”

If nominated at a Burlington Democratic Party caucus next Wednesday, Emerson would face off against Progressive Councilor Max Tracy for a Ward 2 seat in the Old North End.

Asked why he thought Tracy should go, Emerson said, “There’s nothing wrong with Max Tracy. He seems like a great guy. This is about me and what I can do for my community.”

Emerson did say he disagreed with Tracy’s vote to bar F-35 fighter jets from being based at the city-owned Burlington International Airport. He said the council “wasted a lot of time” debating the issue and that banning the planes could have jeopardized federal funding.

“I think not allowing F-35s to be based here and giving Burlington that liability and making it possible that we wouldn’t have an airport, I think that would be an irresponsible decision,” he said.

Paul Heintz was part of the Seven Days news team from 2012 to 2020. He served as political editor and wrote the "Fair Game" political column before becoming a staff writer.

13 replies on “Vermont Democratic Party Spokesman to Challenge Progressive Burlington City Councilor”

  1. “I just don’t know what he’s going to bring to the table” Famous last words of Chris Pearson before Kesha Ram hammered him. If Max thinks he’s entitled, he deserves to lose, too.

  2. So wait he disputes Tracy’s vote on the F35, but says he has no opinion on the issue? Then sends a email to parental supporters and says he is leaving the party, then three times says that’s not true only to finally say yes he is leaving? Mr. Tracy defends his vote on the F35 and also seems to have. Grasp on issues both citywide and in his district. Yup I’m going with straight talk over double talk anytime.

  3. Which means, I guess, you’ll take a pass on Jane Knodell next time who, when she was campaigning, said she was against the F35, but then voted in support of it after she was elected. That’s what you mean by doubletalk, right?

  4. Wait. Are you saying that a person cannot change her mind when she sees new or different evidence, or reexamines the evidence? So, once we express an initial opinion on an issue, we can never change? In fact, that’s the opposite of what we should want in our leaders. The question is not that we change our minds, but why we do so. There’s absolutely no indication that anyone on the council changed his or her position for any reason other than honest conviction.

  5. I don’t support double talk I don’t support it locally or statewide. And I am no dyed in the wool progressive actually far from it. I do believe that any elected official can change their views on an issue we all do that as facts are gathered. But it’s not a good start to say that a vote by an elected official is wrong and then when asked what position you take pull a Pontious Pilate on the issue, that along with the denial of quitting his job does not sit well with me.

  6. Oh, dear God, if she had promised a vote in support during the campaign and then switched, you would have called for her to be burned at the stake. Who are you trying to fool?

  8. So Emerson is the “chosen” candidate to carry the flag for the F-35. We can all expect that he will have a substantial war chest to work with as the Chamber of Commerce, the real estate barons and the Democratic leadership of the state rush in to fund his campaign. Stay tuned.

  9. Emerson comes across as a pure equivocate who can’t or won’t take a position on anything – including whether he is changing jobs.

  10. If that turns out to be true, this will be a very boring campaign. But I’m willing to bet that hyperbolic, baseless statements like “won’t take a position on anything” will be quickly proven otherwise.

  11. You went from Sutton_hoo to “guest?” You’re embarrassed about your comments even with a psuedonym?

  13. Emerson can just look up whatever strategies Tracy used to rebut accusations of inexperience when he ran for council at age 25.

Comments are closed.