(Host) Congressman Bernie Sanders swept to an easy victory against Republican candidate Greg Parke. It was Sanders’ eighth consecutive election victory.
At a victory party in downtown Burlington, Sanders thanked supporters and campaign workers. He said that more Vermonters than ever had been involved in his campaign.
He made a spirited appeal for a change in what he called the “political culture” of America, in particular the need for many more people to participate in the election process.
(Sanders) “And what I beg of the people in this room and the people of the State of Vermont is work with me in changing our political culture. It is no longer acceptable to any of us that the United States should have the lowest voter turnout of any major country on earth. Maybe tonight, if the turnout is high we’ll go to 55 percent, but there is no reason why we should not go to 70 percent, to 80 percent and 90 percent.”
(Host) Turning to familiar themes he repeated his commitment to reform of healthcare and U.S. trade policy
(Sanders) “Health care for all is not a dream. We can do it if people participate. Changing our disastrous trade policy is something that we can do if we repeal NAFTA and permit real trade relations with China and move to fair trade rather than unfettered free trade.”
(Host) Sanders made no mention of his opponents in the campaign. In particular nothing was said of the controversial campaign ads issued by Republican candidate Greg Parke in the final days of the campaign.