After months of campaigning, fundraising and dozens of candidate forums from one end of the state to the other, the Democrats finally have their nominee for governor. Maybe.
As of noontime Wednesday, it appears that Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin narrowly defeated Chittenden County Sen. Doug Racine by less than 200 votes. A recount could still happen.
Some have said that having a five-way contest in the Democratic primary was a bad idea. We disagree. We think party primaries are important, both as a way to test candidates and as a way to test campaign themes for the general election in November.
We were deeply impressed by the gubernatorial campaigns of Susan Bartlett, Matt Dunne, Deb Markowitz, Racine and Shumlin. They stayed positive and refrained from the usual attacks and mudslinging that too often are part and parcel of modern politics.
But when a victor emerges, he will be exhausted, low on money and will have to pull together a political party that's not particularly known for unity and focus.
And, the victor has to face Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie.
He's rested, having run unopposed in his party's primary.
He raised more money than all the rest of the Democratic candidates, and has been able to save most of it for November.
Most importantly, he has avoided public forums and debates, and has been able to bide his time and wait for his Democratic opponent to emerge.
And, if past history is a guide, he will be able to mobilize his financial and political resources and throw everything he's got against his opponent.
Make no mistake, Dubie is a formidable candidate. Like his boss, Gov. James Douglas, he excels at one-on-one, retail politics and works a room with the best of them.
But the Democrats have a simple and effective strategy to counter that, and that's reminding voters of the record of the eight years of the Douglas/Dubie administration.
Remember the slogan of Douglas' 2002 campaign: “Jim=Jobs.” In the wake of the current recession, Dubie would rather you forget that slogan.
Remember how the state could have become the owner of the hydroelectric facilities on the Connecticut and Deerfield rivers? Douglas said no, Dubie agreed, and Vermont missed out on a chance to control its energy destiny for years to come.
Remember Douglas and Dubie's promise to make Vermont an “e-state” by the end of 2010? There are still many households in Windham County waiting for broadband service that, at best, might still be two to three years away.
Remember how we could have been the first state in the country to have single-payer health care? Douglas said no, and Dubie agreed.
Remember how we could have had real campaign finance reform and instant runoff voting? Douglas supported neither, and Dubie agreed.
Remember how we could have ensured that Entergy would have a fully-funded decommissioning fund for Vermont Yankee if it shuts down in 2012? Douglas vetoed that legislation twice, and Dubie agreed.
Remember how we could have had an energy policy with expanded wind, solar and hydro power and a realistic transition plan if Vermont Yankee is not allowed to operate for another 20 years? We never saw such a plan from the Douglas administration, and have yet to hear a plan from Dubie.
For the past eight years, Douglas and Dubie have had an uncanny knack for taking credit for other people's work, while deflecting blame when things go wrong. When it comes to taking responsibility and showing leadership when the going gets tough, they both have come up short.
Being a good governor is more than having charm and personality, and Vermonters aren't looking for a ribbon-cutter. We are looking for someone who isn't afraid to take on the tough issues facing our state and who offers real solutions, not catchy slogans.
This will be the central issue for the Democrats as the political race heads toward November.