Mark Shepard for Congress and for Vermont

Congressional candidates to join forums

BENNINGTON BANNER ARTICLE

Congressional candidates to join forums

July 11, 2006

The Associated Press / Bennington Banner

MONTPELIER (AP) — Two of the candidates for the U.S. House plan to participate in forums to discuss the issues beginning this weekend and a separate round of debates has been scheduled in the days leading up to the Sept. 12 primary.

State Sen. Peter Welch, the only Democrat in the race, organized what he describes as "Sunday Conversations on the Green," inviting all three Republican candidates to participate.

The only one who has committed to an event planned for this coming Sunday in Castleton is state Sen. Mark Shepard, who said he also would show up at events in Bellows Falls, Craftsbury Common and Bristol on succeeding Sundays.

Martha Rainville, the retired commander of the Vermont National Guard, viewed as the front-runner for the Republican nomination, has not agreed to the Sunday series. Welch's campaign said in a news release that Rainville had declined to join the events during a telephone call with Welch.

But Rainville spokesman Brendan McKenna said she had not given a definitive yes or no.

"Rainville didn't come out and say no, nor did Peter Welch say he wasn't going to sign our clean campaign pledge," McKenna said.

Both campaigns have been trying to upstage the other by challenging them to the all-candidates debate, in Welch's case, and a $1 million spending cap, in Rainville's case.

Neither has wanted to say no to the other, but so far neither has agreed to participate in the other's proposal, either.

McKenna said a series of debates were being planned among Republican candidates just before the primary. They'll be Aug. 22, Aug. 28 and Sept. 5.

"We look forward to debating Senator Shepard and the other Republican candidates three times before the primary," McKenna said. "If we're selected as the nominee, we look forward todebating Senator Welch."

Besides Rainville and Shepard, former Burlington restaurant owner Dennis Morriseau also is seeking the GOP nomination.

"... many politicians talk the talk about doing something tangible about new jobs and it doesn't go much further. Sen. Shepard walked the walk."
"Sen. Shepard's big accomplishment, and it is a significant one, lies in the major role he played in bringing the Bennington Microtech Center into being."

Bennington Banner State Senator Endorsement Editorial, October 29, 2004