State Auditor Tom Salmon (D-Rockingham), a Navy reservist, reported for active duty training Sunday in Gulfport, Miss. Salmon told top state officials in a letter Friday that though he was deployed up, he would remain in office and continue his re-election campaign.

[img_assist|nid=1211|title=State Auditor Tom Salmon|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=170|height=144] Deputy State Auditor George Thabault tells PolitickerVT.com that Salmon had foreseen a possible deployment since this November and had worked with staff to make preparations for his absence. At a June 10 meeting, Salmon told colleagues that he had received his instructions and flight itinerary.

"We have a work plan in place," Thaubault said. "Everybody will just have to put in a little bit extra," he said.

Under Vermont statutes, Salmon's responsibilities as state auditor will fall on Thaubault, who has worked in the auditor's office since 2002.

In his letter, which was sent to Gov. Jim Douglas, Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin and House Speaker Gaye Symington, Salmon said that he'd be joining members of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion No. 27 (known as Seabees) in Mississippi for training, and would likely be deployed to the Middle East later this summer as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"With the Navy's permission, I hope to be in regular, but limited, communication with my Office in Montpelier, where our staff of professionals has an ambitious work plan to tackle during my absence. I am confident that they will be able to adequately handle the demands of the office with occasional guidance from me as permitted," Salmon wrote.

Based on past deployments of Seabee construction battalions, Salmon expects to take part in repairing infrastructure overseas. "I have an expectation of returning from active duty next March," the letter read.

Salmon's departure leaves former state auditor and Republican candidate Randy Brock (R-Swanson) with a new battlefield. Reached Friday afternoon, Brock, a Vietnam veteran, reiterated that he would feel uncomfortable campaigning against an opponent who's "in a combat zone and unable to participate in the regular back and forth of a political debate."

Salmon's campaign manager Jake Perkinson said that Salmon met with Brock two weeks ago to discuss his impending deployment. It seemed then, Perkinson said, that Brock was not going to continue his challenge.

Tayt Brooks, executive director of the Vermont Republican Party said the party was still in discussions as to whether Salmon would face a Republican challenger this fall. "Randy is weighing his different options, and I assume we'll hear his decision sooner than later," Brooks said. "But this has certainly thrown a curveball into things."

Asked whether "options" could translate to another elected office, Brooks said: "[Brock] is an ideal candidate for other positions, but he is an auditor by profession."

Brock confirmed that he's assessing the possibility of running for another office, but declined to go into details. Brock said his decision should come "relatively quickly," but noted that "[Salmon] has some decisions to make also."

One factor in Brock's decision stems from the unknown duration of Salmon's deployment. "Clearly when you are chosen for an office, you are elected to do that job and lead." Brock said. "His absence is not really a healthy thing."

Salmon faces parameters set by the Department of Defense Directive 1344.10, which stipulates that active duty soldiers who are also political candidates cannot "direct, control, manage, or otherwise participate in their campaign, including behind-the-scene activities." Perkinson said that the duties of politicking will be left largely to Salmon's wife Leslie, who served as his campaign manager in 2006 as well as his father, former Gov. Thomas P. Salmon.

Another clause of the directive prohibits elected officials from continuing to serve in their respective office after 270 days of deployment. Only an exception granted by the secretary of the Navy himself would allow an elected official to stay in office; Perkinson confirmed that Salmon has received such an exemption. A call to the Secretary of the Navy's office confirming his statement was not immediately returned.

For now, visitors to Salmon's campaign site are greeted with a resounding message: "Site is Currently Down, I am Currently Deployed."