Democratic State Auditor Thomas M. Salmon, the son of a former Democratic Vermont governor, is now ... a Republican.

Salmon made the announcement at a Statehouse press conference Tuesday before a room packed with his newfound political brothers and sisters, and less than two weeks after Republican Gov. Jim Douglas announced he would not seek reelection in 2010.... Read more

Four minutes. That’s how long it took Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie to send out a statement honoring Republican Gov. Jim Douglas last week, after the guv shocked the state by announcing he would not seek reelection.

An airline pilot and colonel in the Air Force Reserves, Dubie is always ready for takeoff.... Read more

It’s a common practice: Release bad news late on a Friday afternoon.

That was the case in Burlington last week, when a shocking tidbit turned up in the email inbox at 2:57 p.m. on August 21. It came in the form of a joint statement from Progressive Mayor Bob Kiss and Steve Allen, chairman of the city Parks & Recreation Commission.... Read more

To understand why former Gov. Howard Dean didn’t get a plum job in President Barack Obama’s administration, look no further than the unfolding health care reform debacle. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius — who holds the post for which Dean seemed destined — is no Dr. Dean.... Read more

Two of the three Democratic gubernatorial candidates have now paid homage to the Mighty Mouse, er, Moose, of Vermont’s political establishment: the Progressive Party.

The goal is to appease the Progs, gain their support, and keep them from running a candidate in the 2010 race for governor.... Read more

When Democrats overrode the budget veto of Gov. Jim Douglas in June, they made Vermont history. Never before had lawmakers overturned a budget veto, and never before had they overturned two vetoes in one session.

More explicitly, never had Democrats — despite holding significant majorities in the House and Senate for the past six years — successfully held their ground against Gov. Douglas.... Read more

Back in May, Seven Days published a controversial cover story about Democratic Chittenden County Senator Ed Flanagan.... Read more

Gov. Jim Douglas and former Gov. Howard Dean are now both major figures in the national health-care-reform debate — but the two couldn’t be further apart when it comes to prescribing a remedy.... Read more

Next week, Jim Douglas will become the third Vermont chief to head the National Governors Association. Like Howard Dean (1994-95) and Richard Snelling (1981-82) before him, he’ll take over as chairman of the organization of state CEOs, which is now 101 years old.... Read more

Last week, a national group chose Gov. Jim Douglas as one of the top 10 eco-friendly U.S. governors, a designation some in Vermont say amounts to “greenwashing.”... Read more