This post was submitted by Rebecca Freedholm, WCF Communications Fellow
Tomorrow, Tuesday August 24th, Vermont Secretary of State Deb Markowitz will face a highly competitive five-way Democratic primary in the race to become Governor of Vermont. Although this is an exceedingly tight race, Markowitz has the energy, the enthusiasm, and the experience to come out on top.
Markowitz is not a stranger to challenging political races—she’s won six statewide elections against both Republican and Progressive opponents. In her first bid for elected office she beat a two-term incumbent to become the first woman elected as the Secretary of State of Vermont.
Now entering her twelfth year as Secretary of State, Markowitz has built an impressive record of achievement in Vermont. She has ameliorated the process of starting and expanding businesses in Vermont, effectively undertaken an ambitious election reform agenda, and proved to be a champion of open and accountable government. She has also implemented a crucial Safe at Home program to protect victims of domestic violence from being tracked down through public records.
Markowitz has consistently demonstrated her commitment to serving the people of Vermont. That is why she has gained endorsements from city and town officials all throughout the state. Six Burlington City Council Members provided a confident statement about Markowitz’s qualifications with their endorsement:
“Deb has proven her effectiveness as a chief executive. We will all greatly benefit by allowing her to implement her policies of efficiency, effectiveness, and practical problem-solving across all of Vermont. Most importantly, she is the candidate who is most likely to beat Brian Dubie in November’s general election because she is energetic, engaging, passionate and has broad appeal highlighted by her six statewide victories, including winning every single city and town in Vermont. She is the candidate who sees the big picture rather than focusing on a single issue or ideology. Local government, and all Vermonters, are confronting many challenges right now and will continue to do so in the near future. Deb Markowitz is the partner we need because when she sees a problem, she solves it.”
City and town officials are not the only people showing support for Markowitz—“1,812 Vermonters from 177 cities and towns across the state have invested in her campaign.” Markowitz’s grassroots fundraising efforts have been enormous, and her “neighbor-to-neighbor outreach program” may provide her with the momentum she needs to achieve victory on Tuesday.
Markowitz is a brilliant and hardworking leader for Vermont and WCF is certain that she is the candidate most capable of serving her state as Governor. Tomorrow’s gubernatorial primary may, however, be one of the most contested races that Vermont has ever seen. Markowitz will need plenty of support in this election, and WCF hopes you will join us in standing behind this wonderful Vermont leader.