Former U.S. Army officer, former Colchester grocery store owner, and bluegrass musician to run
By Guy Page
Three Vermonters have recently declared as candidates for the Vermont Senate. Two of them hope to replace retiring, longtime senators. One is facing a primary.
Democrat Joe Major of Hartford (WRJ) plans to run for a Windsor County senate seat. Sen. Dick McCormick has announced he will not seek re-election.
Major has led the Upper Valley Aquatic Center since 2018. He became the part-time Town Treasurer in 2022 and was elected to selectboard in 2020. He graduated with a BA in Broadcast Journalism from Howard University in 1987 and is a former U.S. Army officer.
Rep. Pat Brennan (R-Colchester) Representative on Tuesday announced a run for the Colchester-Grand Isle senate seat held for 39 years by Dick Mazza until his retirement earlier this month.
“Having served 11 terms as one of Colchester’s state representatives, it would be an honor to broaden my service to Vermonters and the constituency of Grand Isle County. With Sen. Mazza’s departure, Grand Isle County will need strong, common sense leadership, and the respect of one’s peers in Montpelier as well as at home in the district,” Brennan said.
“All of these traits and more are characteristics possessed by Sen. Mazza. I can promise you to carry on his legacy to the best of my ability,” Brennan said.
Like Mazza, Brennan operated a Colchester grocery store and chaired the (House) Transportation Committee.
Brennan was born in Burlington and became a Colchester resident in 1985. He was educated at Rice Memorial High School. He has served in the Legislature since 2003, where he is known for his leadership on gun rights and sportsmen issues and his savvy knowledge of state taxation and budgeting.
Rep. Caleb Elder (D-Starksboro) will likely face a Democratic primary race with incumbent senators Ruth Hardy and Chris Bray. If so, it’s not the first time Elder has challenged Democratic leadership. Last year he led a mini-insurrection demanding the Housing and General Affairs Committee of which he was a member get a shot at reforming Act 250 to promote more housing. The uprising was unsuccessful, but made waves inside and outside the State House.
Elder grew up in Bristol. He is a board member for the Mount Abraham Unified School District. Now in his second legislative term, Caleb is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. He is an accomplished bluegrass musician and owner of a small renewable power business.