[img_assist|nid=1223|title=Progressive Party gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina|desc=Politicker Photo|link=none|align=left|width=420|height=315]Gov. Jim Douglas (R-Middlebury) officially announced his bid for re-election last Thursday, and House Speaker Gaye Symington (D-Jericho) wrapped up the kickoff tour of her gubernatorial campaign a few weeks ago, but Progressive Party candidate Anthony Pollina has been vying for the votes of Vermonters for more than five months.

On Monday, PolitickerVT.com spoke with Michael Carrese, communications director for Symington's campaign, about what the Democratic candidate for governor had in store for the months ahead. Today, Pollina's campaign manager Meg Brook fielded questions about the third-party candidate's second bid to become the state's top executive.

Besides winning the governor's race, Brook said that "a big goal and a big theme of the campaign is to increase and reinvigorate the voice of the average Vermonter."

The Pollina camp has brought a unique style of campaigning to Green Mountain State residents, holding open discussions and building a platform based on what they said are the biggest concerns for most Vermonters: health care, the Iraq war, the economy, energy use and conservation, transportation, education and rising taxes.

Brook noted that the ability to approach the issues from a different perspective was a unique advantage to a third-party candidate. But as a member of a third party, there are particular disadvantages well.

"Money," stated Brook, will be a huge obstacle to overcome. She also said that many people do not believe that Pollina has "a right to run" because he is not affiliated with one of the major parties, and so the media and other candidates ignore him.

"There's no question we have as viable a candidate as anyone else," Brook emphasized.

Although Pollina has run for Vermont's at-large U.S. House seat, governor and lieutenant governor, he has never successfully won a statewide election. And his lack of service could be a major issue on the campaign trail.

Despite the losses, Brook said she believes this year will be different. She claimed that after six years in office, Douglas has a "vulnerability that wasn't there before." Brook said that Symington is not a particularly strong Democratic candidate.

These factors, combined with a country swept up in the idea of change, makes Brook think that people "are more willing to try something new." And that something new, Brook said, may be a Progressive governor.

*PolitickerVT.com will speak with Gov. Jim Douglas' campaign tomorrow.