(Host) Both of the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for Lt. Governor say they think their campaign is one that highlights a difference of leadership style more than it reflects a difference on specific issues.
Speaking last night on VPR’s Switchboard program, Burlington Rep. John Tracy cited his leadership skills to help win approval of a health care reform bill this year.
Tracy also said he would support efforts to close down the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant when its license expires in 2012:
(Tracy) “I don’t want to extend the license of Vermont Yankee. I realize it’s about a third of our power and that we have to find a way to replace it or use less. And the other side of it too is that it’s an older plant. The uprate, it’s like a car driving down the highway when it rattles you slow down well that’s the experience they’ve been having with Vermont Yankee. So I think we need to be sensitive to that.”
(Host) Windsor senator Matt Dunne said he would bring the management skills that he developed several years ago as the head of national Americorps organization to the office of Lt. Governor.
And if he’s elected, Dunne says he would urge lawmakers to pass a more comprehensive health care reform plan right at the beginning of the 2007 session:
(Dunne) “I feel we need to move aggressively even as soon as January to move towards a self insurance system in the state of Vermont that can help us to contain costs. And I will continue to push hard to make sure that we have a place where the costs of health care doesn’t continue to go up a million dollars a day.”
(Host) The winner of the Democratic primary will face incumbent Republican Brian Dubie and Progressive Marvin Malek in the November election.