Secessionists Mount an Ill Fated Write-in Campaign for the August 28 Primary

As followers of this blog are aware, I've been baiting the Vermont secessionists for a little bit now, urging at least one to consider mounting a write-in campaign for his indisputably loser candidacy for the Addison County Vermont Senate seat, wannabe "Senator" Robert "Needed Killin' " Wagner.

Last week the seceshers associated with the anti-Vermont Army and Air National Guard sham radical dirtbag and Vermont Commons web, content editor and airbase nimby queen, Juliet Buck, announced a belated write-in campaign by the "constantly pissed off," in-vehicle screamer Peter Garritano; the fact challenged South Burlington pol Rosanne Greco and (I'm not quite why she'd want to squander her environmental cred by getting in bed with'em) Annette Smith, for U.S. Senator, U.S. congressional representative and governor respectively on their ineffectual websites here, here but not yet at the primary anti-VTANG website maintained by Buck. Maybe she hasn't had the time or thoroughness yet to do so. It's clear though that this write-in effort was hastily thrown together. The MSM is also reporting that Annette Smith is a write-in candidate but, you see, the thing is that the proponents of her candidacy are saying that they haven't bothered to get her official okey dokey for the effort.

"We have not cleared our use of Annette's name as a write-in with her.  Given her public comments about a write-in campaign, we did not think that was necessary. The primary is upon us so this all has to happen fast."
Write In Annette Smith for Governor website

The proponents of this write-in scheme admit that their effort is devoted to their desire to "simply... cause a disturbance in the process for the Democrats and the Republicans" and to gain a spot in the debates to ride their various hobbyhorses by "get(ting) enough votes to be included in the debates." Hunh?

That'd be a first for a Vermont debate where a write-in candidate who was unsuccessful in getting enough votes to become a candidate for any party, major or minor, would then be included in a debate because they'd met some threshold of "enough votes" that I'm guessing will be determined by the write-in proponents and be awfully low like, say, "any votes." Certainly a last minute stealth write-in attempt to hijack the credibilty of the Progressive Party will deservedly be viewed with contempt by most. In 2010 a remarkably unsuccessful Vermont secessionist candidate for governor tried to crash one party's candidate forum and got his ass arrested. This setup promises the same potential - much political theater on behalf of goals that have yet to gain traction in a meaningful way with Vermont voters. The tiny anti-VTANG group has, according to press reports, proven itself capable of "turning out dozens of vocal, attention-grabbing protesters with little advance notice." The write-in tally for Smith may be a double edge sword for the seceshers in that it may serve to re-confirm the utter lack of interest among Vermont voters for the fringe issues that excite the wingnuts.

Having successfully achieved the goals of a write-in campaign myself where the candidate couldn't possibly win or even serve, the one thing I can pass along to these amateurs is that you don't start a write-in a week or two before a primary date unless it's your intention to establish your renown as losers with no clue about how to make a real statement work.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

For the archive of the Free Vermont Framework listserv, click here.