Vermont: Doug Racine

With the State of the State speech behind him and Progressive Anthony Pollina now certain to be running for his seat in November, Governor Jim Douglas’s election-year strategy is coming into view: focusing on achieving his legislative agenda.

“The best political strategy is to advance good public policy,” Douglas spokesperson Jason Gibbs said. Gibbs said Douglas believes Vermont “faces serious challenges,” and was intent on pushing forward his plans for health care, economic development, and property and income tax relief.

With Democratic chair Ian Carleton telling the Burlington Free Press over the weekend that Progressive Anthony Pollina is hedging on entering the race for governor, Pollina sources today are emphasizing that Pollina is, in fact, quite serious about jumping into the fray.

“Ian knows Anthony’s running,” says one Pollina insider. “Everybody in the state knows he’s running.”

Anthony Pollina of the Progressive Party is expected to announce his intention to seek the governorship early next year, PolitickerVT.com has learned.

“At this point it definitely looks like it,” Pollina said.

A Progressive Party official said that an announcement could come as soon as January. Pollina declined to specify an exact date.

Democratic State Sen. Doug Racine says he hasn't decided if he'll run for Governor next year, and that he continues to actively explore a challenge to Republican Gov. Jim Douglas.

“It involves me reaching out to a lot of people and seeing where there is support and if there is a path to victory," Racine said of his decision making process.