by Guy Page
Yesterday, former U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate on WVMT’s Morning Drive. Almost immediately she faced what will likely be the toughest question of her campaign.
Host Kurt Wright let Nolan announce her news and thank Sen. Patrick Leahy for nominating her as U.S. Attorney in 2017. Then the politically savvy Wright asked the question on many minds (at about the 20:40 mark): “What you will hear from your opponent over and over is, ‘Do we want to turn this seat over to any Republican, which could potentially turn the U.S. Senate over to Mitch McConnell?’”
Wright asked the question of the 2022 Senate race, which at this early point looks like a battle between Rep. Peter Welch (D) and the Republican Nolan. Never mind that the Senate is deadlocked and a party change in any of the many 2022 Senate elections would mean a change of leadership. Vermonters are asking that question. Here’s how Nolan responded.
“Vermonters want a person to go to Washington to do the right thing and get something done,” Nolan said. “I am an independent, non-traditional Republican, a New England Republican. [Maine U.S. Senator] Susan Collins is someone I’m a big fan of.”
Nolan seems to be asking the ‘can’t get elected’ skeptics: if elderly, white, secular and liberal Maine can elect Susan Collins, why can’t Vermont elect Christina Nolan?
She also appealed to the many ‘middle of the road’ Vermonters who see Washington as gridlocked and going nowhere in a long, dark tunnel of political hatred.
“I think Vermonters want someone who can get things done in Washington, rather than just spar with the other party and try to defeat the other party. They’re tired of the divide and conquer politics,” she said. “They want someone who can go down and do the right thing.”
“Here’s what I pledge to Vermonters: I will go down and make compromises,” Nolan continued. “I won’t work for the Republican party. I will work for you. You see politicians who think they work for a party or an ideology. Peter Welch votes with his party 100% of the time and caucuses with the extreme wing of his party.”
Categories: politics
Nolan is a Scott clone and therefore a rino just like Susan Collins of Maine. Gonna leave the Vt Senate seat blank once again unless a possible good primary opponent to her appears.
While I agree 100% I feel like any one is better than welch with the exception of some further left and as partisan as pete welch.
Me too Jim. If I have to hold my nose and fill in the circle, so be it, one thing I will not do is not vote. That is a protest that no one hears.
Please don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. Ms. Nolan may be ‘Collins-esque’ – but virtually anything is better than Peter Welch. At least Ms. Nolan is lurking here on VDC. Maybe she’ll address some of our specific points. When, after all, is the last time you recall that Leahy, Sanders or Welch showed any interest in this forum?
I can count the times I have agreed with them on any policy/issue on the fingers of one hand and have fingers left over.
Who says Mitch McConnell will be the senate majority leader in 2023? Rick Scott is a contender after today.
The sad thing is…that is exactly how the Vermont GOP got us in this position…ANYTHING is better then nothing and we went along with it🙄
I’d agree another Susan Collins isn’t much help- but on Nov. 8 I’d certainly cast my vote for Nolan over Welch or any other D or P. Skipping on voting for Nolan, should she be on the ballot only reinforces the fact that we will continue to not have representation at the federal level.
Leahy brought a ton of tax dollars back to Vermont, that stream of funds no matter how repugnant it was, will need to be raised here in Vermont to continue the government largess. bernie just won’t be capable. If a voter leaves a box blank, it amounts to casting a vote for the opponent.
Yes, Frank, but where did those tax dollars Leahy brought us come from? And were they “… of more service to community than the money would be if not collected”?
Okay, I know nobody asked me but my opinion of the money that Leahy brought into this state is at the expense of states that have representation with less seniority than him, and he’s been around longer than Methuselah. Thus my belief in term limits, because after Leahy has retired, we are one of them. Now imagine that Senators had a two term limit like the President, that seniority thing becomes less of an issue. Besides, should anybody suckle at the teat of the U.S. government as long as Leahy has ?
Of course, Mr. Eshelman. He brought back our own tax dollars plus a billion more. Vermont would have been better off without most of those dollars. However, now that the socialist republic of Vermont is now greedily dependent on these dollars, the elected will demand that the flow continue. Articles 9 and 18 have been long forgotten by the Vermont political elite. You suppose a program might be cut? Not in Vermont. Moderates of both parties have their place- until there’s a nationwide shift in political philosophy. You and I will never live to see that day.
Re: ” ..plus a billion more.”
…that the Federal Reserve printed, and the inflation tax will consume.
I’m just saying there are no free lunches. It’s time to push ourselves away from the trough.
Has Nolan categorically denounced Trump’s incessant, absurd claims about a stolen election? Has she rejected the RNC’s censure of Cheney and Kinsinger? Has she further rejected the RNC’s characterization of the January 6th insurrection as “legitimate political discourse?” The answer to all three questions is, NO! Neither she nor any other Republican will get my vote who does not loudly and emphatically make these declarations.
Mr. Mandeville, Just checking. Are you denouncing Trump’s claims about a stolen election? Are you supporting Cheney and Kisinger? Do you believe the January 6th protest was an ‘insurection’?
I just want to be sure I don’t mischaracterize your comment.
Gerald Malloy is a true conservative voice in Vermont finally
Here’s the deal, Ms. Nolan, in case you’re monitoring Vermont Daily Chronicle (and you should be monitoring it). I’m not so sure I want our new Senator to ‘get things done’, because that depends on what the Senate is proposing to do and not do in the first place.
1. The southern border: Finish the wall. Control immigration. Immigration is fine, just follow the rules.
2. Allow the U.S. to be energy efficient again. Yes, I know, fossil fuels and CO2. But we’re not going to figure out how to get to the next level tomorrow if we bankrupt ourselves today in the process of getting there. And, yes, more cheap, green Hydro Quebec power for Vermonters please.
3. Stop the frivolous spending. We have too many bureaucrats. For every new government hire, fire two. And follow the Vermont Constitution – Article 9: “…previous to any law being made to raise a tax, the purpose for which it is to be raised ought to appear evident to the Legislature to be of more service to community than the money would be if not collected.”
4. Project our military strength and don’t hesitate to be a little unpredictable. The world is a nasty brutal place. Don’t try to fix all the world’s problems before fixing our problems here at home.
5. School Choice! I repeat – School Choice now. Vouchers for all parents allowing them to choose what they believe to be the best education for their children – public school, independent schools, parochial schools, homeschools, education pods, you name it. Give parents Education Savings Accounts and let educational free enterprise work its magic.
6. Last but not least, lower taxes. Let individuals figure out how to spend their hard-earned money. If we’ve learned anything from Messrs. Leahy, Sanders, and Welch, it’s that they don’t actually know how to do anything productive on their own. Let the people with the knowledge and incentive to achieve do their thing. After all, if our new Senator is successful at goals 1 – 5, she won’t have to lower taxes. They’ll lower on their own because our economy will become so much more efficient and productive.
And I’m not going to ask you, Ms. Nolan, to be sure to be compassionate toward those less fortunate than we may be. Because I know that, in a productive and efficient economy, people tend to be more compassionate toward their fellow humans in the first place. Just give us a chance to prove it instead of telling us how miserable and selfish we are for putting our oxygen masks on first before helping those sitting next to us.
And yes, to Dano’s sentiments. Protect and defend the Constituion – especially the 1st and 2nd amendments.
VERY WELL STATED H. Jay Eshelman!!
I wholeheartedly agree with ALL of the issues you listed and I would add one more:
STOP PRINTING MONEY AND PRETENDING IT IS REAL!!
Many Vermont Politicians brag about how much money Vermont gets from the Federal Government. It is no wonder they could care less about living within the Means of the State of Vermont with a balanced budget.
We need new Representatives in both State and Federal Governments who truly understand economics. Our Governments are stealing from the future of our children and our children’s children, etc. This practice of unrestrained deficit spending is unethical and immoral.
😳Omgosh, I don’t even know you but I going to write you in for some office, [something or ANYTHING] because common sense is so rare these days, I automatically know it when I see it, and that’s what we need to get back to!!!
I’m not as optimistic as I was yesterday. Being a fan of RINO Susan Collins is not a way to attract republican voters. Senator Collins is is far from a conservative republican. If Christina Nolan is using Susan Collins as a roll model, I will have to hold my vote until I see who else steps up. We need a senator who supports and works for republican policies. I’ll be listening for support for the 2nd amendment and the Bill of Rights. Lots of questions need to be answered after the Susan Collins name drop.
I have never been impressed with Collins I think she is a rino and to be truthful I am not so sure about Nolan either? How is her real track record? makes one wonder when our ancient senator leahy approved her?
If it comes down to Peter Welch and someone (anyone) to the right of him.. Bye bye Peter, bye, bye Peter, bye bye, Peter can’t wait to see you go ! Hey !!!!!!!!
We have to embrace the sad reality that we in Vermont are 60 years into the post-Phil Hoff, hippie migration transformation. It’s not pretty what has become of this once-great, conservative State of Vermont but we venture further into la-la land if we embrace the fantasy that we can somehow elect a Ron DeSantis-type Senator now. The VTGOP must take full advantage of the growing number of “moderate” voters being outraged by additional gun restrictions, fringe sexuality and anti-white hatred promoted in public schools, police defunding, out-of-control education spending and public-sector unions driving the high cost of living in Vermont. These are bread and butter issues with broad appeal but due to the propaganda of pop culture and the liberal media, many of these folks are driven off by MAGA hats and Let’s Go Brandon. Appealing to the centrist voter is the last hope for the VTGOP to have any relevance and appeal into the future, and the time is ripe to cultivate that interest. The truth is not always easy to accept, but if we dont, freedom-minded Vermonters will be permanently relegated to the proverbial woodshed. If the choice is between the born-in-Burlington “Susan Collins west” and the old, white, male, virtue-signaling, liberal ambulance chaser from Springfield Massachusetts, who got his formative legal education at the hotbed of American marxism, UC Berkeley, it’s an easy decision.
Rich, Everything you said is true. I just believe that if Ms Nolan is reading these comments, she might get a feel for what’s important to this side of the isle. I was forced to vote for Romney, McCain and Bush, two losers and a disappointment. Trump was the first candidate who came through and they tried to ruin him and spied on his campaign and presidency. How can a senator compromise with the democrats who may have been involved or at least knew about that and the election theft? If I have a choice between Ms Nolan and any Dem/prog, I will do my duty and support her. She needs to understand how sick and tired we all are of the DC corruption and deep state behind the curtain crimes.
I’m not in any way suggesting she “compromise with democrats”…I just want someone who will defend our precious Constitution. She doesn’t have to pose in a campaign ad with an AR-15, just say that she will preserve EXISTING gun rights and not support ANY NEW RESTRICTIONS until we fully enforce the existing Federal statutes. Being an intelligent and reasoned Republican woman with a track record as an outstanding Federal Prosecutor, that scares the hell out of the demoprogs and no matter what she says or does, they will hang the Trump sign around her neck because that is all they have to skewer her with. She will be forced to distance herself somewhat from the Trump doctrine in the interest of not making it easy for her detractors. This is Vermont, not Utah.
Tell the truth though Rich, wouldn’t she look sharp in a MAGA hat, camo, totin’ an AR ? (LOL)
It’s a shame that the afore mentioned Governor (Phil Hoff) was not a glaring enough example of what the state would become if Democrats were voted into power again. Unfortunately the tsunami of liberal college grads of the 60s and early 70s did happen, and now were up to our necks in self flagellating, woke lefties.
If the past 5-6 years, especially the past 2 are anything to go by, I’m just not voting for women candidates. Period. Sorry, ladies, but the male politicians are bad enough, and you’re overwhelmingly neurotic authoritarians at heart, favoring “safety,” over freedom.
Thats crazy. Theres a lot of great women out there that can represent you and i. Genitalia has nothing to do with representation and shouldnt be involved in voting decision making. Frankly, i suspect youre a democrat troll…
Agreed, you have outed a demoKKKrat troll.
LOL. No, I just don’t think women make good politicians. What do you have… Thatcher? Seriously. Women do tend toward higher scores in neuroticism, and they really do prefer security over freedom, and they really do favor women as an in group over the general population, with very, very few exceptions. Why do you think Montpelier is such a circus right now? Who’s pushing for a pointless abortion amendment that will create untold absurd repercussions? Take a look at the women in US Congress all dressed up in white and look at their records. Not voting for women is the single easiest way to stop the leftist, authoritarian insanity.
will those desperately wanting a woman from Vermont in DC be lining up in support of Nolan?
We already had an opportunity to elect a woman of great leadership qualities to the US House when Welch first ran for the office, and Vermont liberals showed their true misogynist colors when they elected another white, male lawyer instead of Martha Rainville.
We’ve been having this exact same discussion now for decades. We’ve been doing the exact same thing for decades. We’ve had the exact same Montpelier and National Uniparty because of it.
Of course we don’t need a “Trump” candidate. Trump is doing what he is because he’s on the National Platform. Trump would not be doing the same thing if running in Vermont for any office.
He would, however, get the same results. He would not let them dictate the conversation and topics, he would be entirely effective and playing a completely different game.
He would be Vermont first instead. He would not be played, by the party, nor the other party. Major difference.
I was never a Susan Collins fan, but her principled and courageous statement in support of Judge Kavanaugh brought me over, and I was glad to contribute to her reelection campaign.
Yes ……and how has that turned out? Is Kavanaugh a real advocate for the Constitution?
Both Scott and Nolan are establishment Republicans. These backstabbing subversives are a bigger threat to freedom than the more obvious Socialist Democreeps.
Pervmont is a cesspool of corruption. There is no cure for stupidious bureacratitis. We are being fooled into believing we have choice. Anyone falling for the illusion of choice should look to Canada to see how the Globists have initiated their operations…they are installed here and they are the real terrorist cells we’re heard about over the past three decades.
“Mitch McConnell” is not the Anti-Christ, jeez, labeling the “other side” as some sort of Demonic No-Go Land is juvenile. I’ll vote for Nolan because she is running as an R. That’s it. There ARE Republicans in Vermont, but most of us don’t vote because there are literally NO Republicans to vote for. I’m voting for every R from now on. It’s not like there are that many choices. Welch is 100 years old and won’t be nearly as effective as Leahy.
Does Nolan have a campaign website, you know, where people can express support and donate money etc? Kind of need that these days.
my first check went in the mail this morning…
https://christinanolanforussenate.com/
So if you are given a choice of two Uniparty Candidates, and you like one much better than the other….
You still got a uniparty candidates holding office! You haven’t changed ANYTHING!
This is the Uniparty game that is played EVERYTIME>
Mc Cain?
voting on obama care?
Romney?
Did anyone get the latest VTGOP flyer…..it rails against Biden, totally trashes him But wait, Gov Scott not only Voted for him he broadcast it far and wide.
The VTGOP is in complete shambles. They could be rebuilding this year, but they are building a stronger uniparty instead. There will be epic losses and a complete failure of getting anything done for this coming election.
Scott vetoing a bill means nothing, Again Uniparty feeding the press trolls. We are being played.