8/11/2019 Mega Dittos | Vermont Times | Nov. 16, 1994

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S~lI~thof Pownal, east of~~dsor and &eross the big lakeIt s the dawn ofa new political age of more prisons moreprayers and more paranoia. It's the Rash Limbaup

Age, with Newt Ginlrieh as pope, as the Christian Coalitionand the NRA just took over Capitol Hill. What, me worry?

Little Vermont bucked the tide once again. Despite the bestintentions of the NRA,Congressman Bemie Bandera will gethis federal pension after all. In fact, he should thank the NRA.The off-the-wall, red-baiting radio war they unleashed againstOl'Bernardo two weeks before election day tripped up Republi.can John CarroUjust as his momentum was building to a greatcrescendo. No wonder they call 'em gun nuts.

Despite the NRA's interference, Carroll comes out of the racewith everything but the win. J .C. more than established himselfas a candidate with statewide potential, and now he's got thename recognition, experience and desire to do it again. "It's beena wild ride," he said the day after. "I'm not going to walk awayfrom all this. It's too exciting to walk away." In '96 Carroll willbe formidable. Are you listening, Howard?

Jan Backus' bubble burst as the returns came in. Shecertainly rose to the challenge. Unfortunately, her campaignmanager, Jim Schumacher, did not come out of the racesmelling like a rose. His attempt at damage control on the drugissue backfired when the candidate contradicted him, and he hadsome very sour remarks about Jim Jeffords election night that

served no purpose except to leave a sour taste associated with JimSchumacher.

Jeezum Jim returns to the Capitol for what should be thefinest chapter inhis "maverick" career. Now more than ever

before, Senator Jeffords can be a Republican conscience with aVermont accent.

The big Vermont upset was in Bennington where House

Speaker Ralph Wright was knocked off. Republicans pumped$20,000 to Gerry Morrissey. Ralph spent under $500. He wastargeted and eliminated. The defeat was a feather in the cap ofRepublican Chairman Allen Martin, a guy who never met anelectric utility or cable TV company he didn't love.

Ralph Wright is a working class guy who climbed the legisla-tive ladder while wearing his liberal Democrat badge proudly on

his breast pocket. Unlike most liberals, he placed a higher valueon winning than on being liked. He fought for the poor andworking class, the environment, the gays, the elderly. Social

justice was his creed. There wasn't a touch of the wimp in him.Atouch of the Marine, sure. A touch of the poet, too. Ralph couldplay hardball with the best paid lobbyists big business wouldthrow at him and win. Those he vanquished knew no bounds to

their bitterness.Ralph Wright was demonized in the press particularly by Jack

Hoffman of the Rutland Herald/Times Argus. To Hoffman,Ralph was an intimidating anti-Christ with a Boston brogue. ToRalph, Hoffman was a strike-breaking scab in tennis whites whocrossed a picket line at the Rutland Herald and took anotherreporter'sjob. No love lost there, folks. Unlike most pols, though,

Ralph never gave a damn about polishing his image.Ralph did the heavy lifting for Madeleine Kunin, Dick Snellingand Howard Dean. Twice he won the speaker's chair even thoughthe Republicans were in the majority. Good lord, how thatburned them up. (How ironic that one of his most bitter detrac-tors, Representative Inge Schaefer of Colchester, was alsogiven the heave-he by the voters.) Ralph's defeat was highlighted

in the Boston Globe as one of the three races "that changednorthern New England." It's certainly changed the dynamics inthe Statehouse.

For one thing, Governor Howard Dean has nowhere to gobut down. His popularity has been the direct result of the factthat he's kept above the fray and avoided political combat. Nowhe's got to roll up his sleeves and get into battle.

That's great news for Lieutenant Governor Barbara Snellingwho'd love to spend tbe next two years holding Ho-Ho's feet tothe fIre. She's endured a non-stop public vilification this yearbecause of her votes against Ho Ho's E-board nominees and theminimum wage - two well-orchestrated set-ups, Well guesswhat? Turns out not many citizens outside of Montpelier gave adamn about the E-board battle. The Republicans even picked uptwo more senate seats. As we head for January, Bahs and theRepublicans bave little ifany respect left for Dr. Dean.

In legislative races around Chittenden County, RepublicanSenator Sara Gear, Democratic Representative AlanBjerkeandtbeSelfRighteousBrothers-ProgressivesTerryBourieiusand Dean Corren - won re-election which may indicate thevoters expect their politicians to know how to make a few extrabucks on the sly. Barbara Snelling said the day after hervictoryto expect legislative perks to be curtailed in tbe coming session.Great.

But guess which political faction in Vermont suffered thegreatest defeat election day?

That's right, the Progressives. They dropped a third of theirseats in the Legislature as Kathy BonlOa was unable to keep tbeProgs' Old North End seat given up by Representative Tom

Smith. That seat went to Democrat John Tracy. So much forthe Progressive "movement" in Vermont. Besides Bernie allthey've got is their rhetoric and TheSelfRigbteousBrothers' tap

dancing routine.

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