News Analysis

Despite warchest, Welch voting record leaves him vulnerable to centrist Nolan

Visual commentary by VT Underground

by Guy Page

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Christina Nolan of Westford claimed on WVMT’s Morning Drive this week that Rep. Peter Welch votes with the Democratic majority position 100% of the time.

Christina Nolan

While this may sound like political candidate hyperbole, a Politics That Work overview of Welch’s voting record shows Nolan’s claim has a ring of truth. The left-of-center Congressional voting analysis organization gives him a 100% ranking on hot-button issues like LGBT rights, immigration, abortion, and gun control.

By contrast, Nolan looks like what she promises to be: Maine Sen. Susan Collins’ – style centrist willing to vote against her party leadership. The very trait that makes some Vermont conservatives skeptical of her and supportive of fellow Republican Senate hopeful Gerald Malloy may serve her well if she wins the GOP primary.

Both Nolan and Malloy are scheduled to appear at a GOP gathering in Manchester tonight. Support for the personable, experienced Malloy of Perkinsville is strong among some conservatives who frequently comment on Vermont Daily Chronicle news stories. A profile of Malloy appears in VDC today.

As for Welch – anyone with an hour or two to invest can learn plenty about his voting record. PoliticsThatWork.com allows the reader to click on issues of interest and read every yes/no vote on relevant bills, citing the date, content, and bill number. The graphic below is culled from the PTW file on Welch, last updated in November, 2019. Note: Welchs’ “across the aisle” approach is said to have been more prominent in his early days in Congress.

To read the entire Politics That Work file on Welch’s voting record, go to http://politicsthatwork.com/voting-record/Peter-Welch-412239.

Nolan’s appeal to the centrist, independent middle of Vermont general election voters seems to make some Welch supporters nervous. Progressive blogger John Walters of the Vermont Political Observer is already forecasting ‘game, set and match’ for Welch because he’s sitting on a $2.96 million warchest, while Nolan has raised a mere $157,000.

Big GOP donors aren’t ponying up to support Nolan means the Smart Money Knows she has no chance of winning, Walters claims. And because (Walters implies) campaigns are won by whoever raises the most money, Nolan’s campaign is DOA. It’s not even David vs. Goliath, it’s Bambi Vs. Godzilla – with Welch as the giant reptile.

Walters does not mention that those savvy GOP mega-donors Out in the Heartlands know she faces a primary. Might they just be waiting to see if she wins, rather than be accused of supporting a more liberal Republican over traditional conservative Gerald Malloy?

Walters also doesn’t mention the elephant in the room – that Democratic leadership under Joe Biden continues to crater in the polls. Warchest or no, Welch’s position with independent voters may grow weaker. If so, the Big Money on both sides will be showering Vermont with political spending this fall as they realize that bright blue Vermont has suddenly turned purple – and maybe with a reddish hue.

18 replies »

  1. Whoever comes out of the Republican primary as the winner, has my vote ! Curly has been in Washington to long. It’s time for a new direction with new ideas as the same old same old just is not working !

  2. Where is that other gal…..the one with the saucy mouth? From Shelburne…??? Or is she running for the House? She would be the right candidate for the Senate imho.

  3. I absolutely agree that Welch can be and NEEDS to be beaten on the basis of his recent voting record. He’s a communist who votes like AOC and the rest of the “squad”.

  4. There are virtually NO centrist democRATS any longer….there is one (sometimes two) in the U.S. Senate. Other than them, they’re all on drugs. Serious drugs & serious amounts of them.

  5. The “Supports Women’s Rights” 100% of the time category is going to get conservatives into trouble.

    Of COURSE, ANY sane candidate supports women’s “rights” all the time, as rights are endowed by God, not by people.

    This “power point” needs major re-wording as abortion does not support women OR girls, LGBTQRSTUV rights are NOT synonymous with women’s rights, allowing biological MEN to compete in women’s athletics is NOT supporting women or girl’s rights, supporting prostitution does not support women’s rights, usurping parental rights does not support women’s or girl’s rights,
    etc. etc.

    The old time, traditional women’s rights groups have been hijacked by “woke”, indoctrinated leftists & Communists who have managed to place every fringe ideology they can come up with under “women’s rights”.

    But CHANGE that misleading sentiment, or this will be turned against our movement & it will be utilized to falsely claim that republicans are misogynists.

    I’m a proud, strong feminist who KNOWS are the above philosophies are simply meant to subordinate & essentially erase women & their innate rights – NOT empower them.

    PLEASE change it now!

  6. It is demoralizing to live in a state where Hitler would be easily elected if he ran as a democrat.

  7. Robert understands the terrain better than most.

    Sadly, name recognition alone will allow him to win. The money alone will allow him to spread lies and propaganda at the last two weeks, when it’s the only time people are thinking about politics.

    Not to say Nolan wouldn’t be a better candidate. She would. Being moderate is not a winning solution. Solving Vermont’s problems is a winning solution.

    All they have to say is, “Welch will be the one to bring more money from Washington than any other candidate, he has the experience”…….

    A good general knows when and where to fight. When and where to concentrate his troops. When and where to concentrate his money and resources.

    Ask around the state and see what the name recognition is. It’s a very steep hill.

  8. 60% of Vermonters will say they like his voting record….

    So what is your game plan?

  9. If Peter Welch will identify as transgender, wears a dress, put on tons of make-up, and affixes a flowing wig to his head – he will win hands down. It’s not about money – it’s about who can out-pander the other. They all have copious amounts of money through their PACs – all they have to do is perform at the pleasure and bequest of their Master.

    • The special interest pandering/virtue signaling only appeals to the voters on the left, and what they have to offer us is a privileged white male former ambulance chaser attorney from Massachusetts, who has no real victimhood credentials. The Republican side has a very accomplished, self-made woman who does actually qualify as a “victim of oppression” by her orientation, but she doesn’t wear it like a badge of courage, it’s just her private life. The demoprogs love to lament how Vermont has never sent a woman to Congress (even though we had the opportunity to with Martha Rainville), so now is their chance to put their money where their mouth is. The Senate needs another woman, not just another attorney. We can only hope demoprogs wont vote like hypocrites like they usually do.

  10. Keep in mind too, Peter Welch has a secret weapon – his wife, Margaret Cheney, one of the three Vermont Public Utilities Commissioners – Current Term: 2013 – 2025. She can threaten to turn of the power, if her ‘hubby’ loses.

    Isn’t that they way poltics in Vermont works these days?

  11. THE BOTTOM LINE FOLKS!!
    REMEMBER ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 8TH 2022 TO VOTE OUT THE LIBERAL DEM SWAMP RATS πŸ€ πŸ€ πŸ€ PERIOD FOLKS!!
    DO NOT SUPPORT RINO REPUBLICANS AND VOTE IN TRUE AMERICAN PATRIOT REPUBLICANS THAT DO NOT CROSS PARTY LINE PERIOD FOLKS!!
    YOUR SAFETY AND LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON IT PERIOD FOLKS!!
    DO NOT FORGET TO VOTE ON AUGUST 9TH PRIMARYS !!
    PROUD MEMBER OF THE LET’S GO BRANDON FJB, FJT COMMUNITY!!

  12. Gerard Malloy is by far the most qualified, experienced, and trustworthy candidate for this Senate seat to Washington. Look him up. An amazing record of public service, including over 20 years of military service! This man is the best candidate Vermont has ever had for office.

  13. Rep. Welch is a Progressive Democrat much like Sen. Polina and formal LT Governor Zuckerman. Heck he is even with the progressive caucus in Washington. Wait til the debates and they are side by side. Money can’t undo that unless he runs and hide. Being this is the first time in a dog’s age there is an open seat for US Senate there should be seven to eight debates just like the US House. People should have a chance to have “democracy” work out. Trying not to choke writing that. Have to beg

  14. What the article misses — and it’s kind of a big miss — is the fact that this is a three way race between Welch, whoever wins the Republican primary, and Independent billionaire actor/crypto currency guy Brock Pierce. Welch will appeal to traditional Vermont democrats, Pierce — a pro single payer healthcare, pro-carbon tax Silicon Valley/Hollywood liberal — will spend a lot of money pulling votes from away from the center/left. This creates a very strong opening for a Republican to win with less than 50% of the vote — but that means maximizing Republican and disaffected Democrat turnout on the right. An “I’m Susan Collins” approach within this dynamic won’t work.

  15. I once interviewed Dan Freilich on NEKTV and he had a 2″ THICK list of Pee Wee Welch’s “donors” he brought with him & I’m sure it’s only been added to since then..If Pee Wee had to wear a NASCAR like suit w/patches naming his “donors” there’d be NO ROOM left on it for him to even zip up! Pee Wee is BOUGHT and PAID FOR, many times over, and his “record” reflects this many tomes over, but what really bugs me is that “Wis-Caan-Sin” type accent and his touting the “great Jaab” he’s been doing..Like fingernails on a blackboard EVERY time he speaks! Uggggg!

  16. Wait a minute! Where’s the “Women’s Rights” in ALL the females BOUNCED from their JOBS by Biden’s “Mandatory Injections” of a barely proven, unknown side effects, mRNA “vaccine” on all the women who lost their jobs as firefighters, cops, military, etc. Pee Wee? We didn’t hear a PEEP out of you when Dementia Joe said “get injected or get fired” now DID WE? No “women’s rights” or CHOICE there eh Pee Wee? Hypocrite!