By Guy Page

Democrat Rep. Katherine Sims of Craftsbury and Republican Sam Douglass of North Troy both officially announced they will run for the Orleans County Vermont State Senate seat now held by Robert Starr, 81, who announced last week he won’t run for another term. 

Their press statements show they are both claiming the mantle of Starr’s decades of leadership in the Vermont Legislature. 

 Sims threw her hat into the ring at a press event Monday morning at Butterworks Farm in Westfield. She is currently serving her second term in the House of Representatives for the ORL-4 district, aims to become the first woman to represent the district in over six decades.

The Orleans District of the Vermont Legislature includes 20 towns spanning Orleans, Caledonia, and Franklin counties. 

“As State Representative, I’ve collaborated across party lines to make policies, programs, and funding work for residents of the Northeast Kingdom. Now I’m running for Senate to do more for our communities,” Sims stated.

She also highlighted the importance of addressing regional challenges, including housing, economic revitalization, and affordability for working Vermonters.

Sim said her legislative work “has notably included securing funding for high-speed broadband throughout the Northeast Kingdom, housing reforms, and the passage of the Forest Future Strategic Roadmap.” She also co-chairs the Rural Caucus, promoting bipartisan support for rural communities and economies across Vermont.

The announcement follows Starr’s recent decision to retire after 46 years in the Vermont Legislature. Senator Starr – a Republican turned Democrat – praised Sims, saying, “Katherine is a leader. She’s someone who really cares about keeping our communities healthy and well. She works hard and she strongly supports our way of life.”

Sims also founded Green Mountain Farm-to-School in 2007, advocating for childhood nutrition and supporting local agriculture. She has been active in various regional development and connectivity initiatives, including leadership roles with the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative and service on several boards related to rural development and telecommunications.

The Orleans County Senate District consists of 20 towns from across the Northeast Kingdom, mostly in Orleans County. 

“I deeply thank Senator Bobby Starr for his many years of service and his commitment to the Northeast Kingdom. Both Senator Starr and I are Troy natives and we bring the spirit of traditional Vermont culture into our opinions on policy, and his support for hunting, fishing, trapping, firearm rights, fiscal restraint, and agriculture, is something we share,” Douglass said.  With Starr’s departure, there is a gap in agricultural advocacy. There are very few legislators in Montpelier that know the inside of a barn or how to drive a tractor, and right now we need fighters in Montpelier to ensure that our farmers are listened to, because farms need less regulation on how they operate, not more. 

Douglass added that he will replicate Starr’s frugality with the state’s money.

“Bobby has long been a level head in the senate, and often a voice of reason in regards to state spending. With taxes of all kinds rising and members of my community being forced from their homes to cheaper states, it is crucial that this race brings in people that will be level headed and help Vermont to be affordable,” Douglass said. 

“In my own service to the voters of the district, I intend to continue Starr’s legacy of protecting and advocating for NEK living, and just like him, I won’t be using this seat as a stepping stone into what I perceive as higher office. My voters can be assured that I won’t abandon them for my own ambitions, because that isn’t the Northeast Kingdom way.”