Rep. Peter Welch announced today he will seek the 2022 Senate seat left open by the retirement of Sen. Patrick Leahy.
Welch made the not-unexpected announcement via YouTube today. “Powerful outside interests will come to Vermont to try to advance their interests, not ours. They know an open seat in Vermont could be the difference between passing our positive agenda and Mitch McConnell controlling the Senate again. The Senate hangs in the balance – and the whole country will be looking to Vermont. We’re ready to fight and win this Senate seat,” Welch said.
State Sen. Kesha Ram (D-Chittenden) announced she will seek the U.S. Congress seat left open by Welch.
“My path has crossed the Congressman’s since I got my start in politics introducing a rally with then-candidate Peter Welch, then-Senator Barack Obama, and then-Congressman Bernie Sanders as a sophomore at the University of Vermont in 2006. Now, over a decade later, we are in a generational moment where we have the opportunity to build a slate of leaders who can take Vermont and the nation forward. As Vermonters cope with rising COVID cases and the multigenerational impacts of our climate crisis, racial reckoning, and housing shortage, we will need bold, experienced leadership to help Vermonters and Americans rebuild stronger and more equitably.
“With Congressman Welch now making a bid for the Senate seat, I will be deeply exploring a run for Congress to give Vermonters a fighter in Washington. I will continue to prioritize the needs and voices of my fellow Vermonters as I make this decision. Today, I am focused on the rising case count in the pandemic and navigating our path forward for the safety and well-being of all Vermonters.”
Categories: politics
Electing Ram would continue the tradition of Vermont being the only state without representation in Congress. Let’s just send another socialist to DC to get rich at Vermont’s expense.
I guess I must have missed the Obit for the Republican Party in the SOV. Deane Davis must be rolling in his grave at the condition of this once powerful party. It’s a sad statement that the conservatives in the State of Vermont can not find a viable candidate to run a competitive race against some of the wackiest people in the country. Pitiful !
This morning on VPR, when they announced that Peter Welch would run for Leahy’s senate seat, Mitch Wertlieb commented that Vermont’s sole seat in the House of Representatives would be open, but that there were several well qualified Democrats available to run for the seat.
But not a word from Mr.Wertlieb about ‘well qualified Republicans’ of course.
While I found it to be VPR’s typically biased reporting at the time, I must admit, now, that ‘… a viable candidate to run a competitive’, conservatively oriented race eludes my imagination as well. And not a word from the new VTGOP leader.
I guess Elvis really has left the building.
Exactly ! A viable party would have possibilities that the party can promote in the news sporadically, just to make and keep a few names familiar with constituents. I’m not seeing or hearing anything but crickets. I mean, Randy Brock, Scott Milne, Rob Roper, Richard Tarrant, name some for me ! Whoever! Almost anybody would be better than the ship of fools that are presently plotting a course for this floundering ship of state ! It sucks but voting for me has become very much a choice of the lesser of two or more evils ! I really would like to feel good about who I vote for. How about legacy candidates ? Are there any Davis’s, Snellings, or Coolidges ? Hell I’m about ready to vote for a pothead or a spaceman !
Randy Brock, no Scott Milne, No. Rob Roper, yes. the other two are RINOs and never Trumpers. If we can’t have a real republican, why bother? Sending the first two would be just like sending a demo light that would vote to destroy our freedoms and customs. Remember Randy Brock’s stance on vaccine mandates and his support for The constitutional rewrite and his apologies . How about Milne the perpetual loser candidate, never Trumper who said that to gain lefty votes? Please, no more of this from Vermont. If we can’t find a viable candidate, let the moonbats destroy what’s left of this state. At this point either fight or quit and move. I say fight them and find the right candidate, not just another warm body, dinosaur, RINO.
I’m listening Dano ! My comment was about possibilities. Throw some at a wall, maybe they stick, maybe they slide off but if you’ve got nothing, all you have is nothing.
Both of them can run alright, They can run right out of Vermont to China!
Liberty is from God not man.
Keesha. Lord have mercy on us.
Peter Welch is the epitome of the bribe-taking, corrupt, lying politician that Vermont has become known for. Keesha Ram is a waste of life. Grow up Vermont.
Sad state of affairs when the two of them are all Vermont has to offer.
Ram will not be the only woman running.
There will be at least one conservative woman running. 😉
Does the VTGOP have a strong and sufficiently-Trump-disconnected woman to run, who can appeal to what’s left of Vermont’s political center?
We know how the democrats love to bring up that Vermont has never sent a woman to Congress, yet it was the VTGOP that ran a very qualified woman with top leadership qualities, Martha Rainville against Peter Welch. So, we have had the OPPORTUNITY to elect a woman to Congress, but instead we sent a white, male attorney. With Welch’s announcement, I want to re-purpose my homemade car window sign slogan from back then to say: “the Senate needs another woman, not another lawyer”.
A vote for Welch is a stamp of approval for the Biden Regime. Apparently, there are enough sufficiently brainwashed voters who will continue to vote for corruption and malfeasance in this State. The other side appears no different. Change the State motto to Indentured Servitude and Disunity.
Very true since Freedom and Unity is a joke! Another possibility could be, Vermont The Green State or The Socialist Republic of Vermont or Vermont, The Victim State. Freedom and Unity has been destroyed along with our constitution and customs. “Beam me up Scotty, theirs no intelligent life down here”. God Help Us!
“Deeply explore”, what the hell does that mean?