Let's clear up a couple of things about Vermont politics

it's plain as day that most people here haven't a clue. Vermont Politics are different. They really are. Where else would you have a subsistence farmer with an eighth grade education beating the crap out of a well funded (carpetbagger) for the nomination for the the Republican U.S. Senate, and then promptly turning around and endorsing the democrat, who just happened to be Pat Leahy? In what other state would the three democratic candidates for governor, 2 of whom endorsed him, go hats in hand to the recent Vermont Progressive Party Convention and not only ask for the VPP endorsement, but each offr to run as hybrid D/VPP?

The Vermont Democratic Party is now the party of Bernie. That is no exaggeration. They unanimously supported him for President at the convention 2 weeks ago. And Bernie supporters won the the seats on the DNC.

I haven't a clue if Bernie will run in 2018. My guess is he won't. But that is no guarantee that a democrat or anyone less iconoclastic than Bernie, will win. Odds are that if Bernie doesn't run, a Bernie Dem, VPP member or hybrid D/VPP candidate will replace him. I can assure you, it won't be our current governor, Peter Shumlin. He couldn't get elected dog catcher anywhere in the state.

I'd be fine with Bernie not running. He'll be 77. He's done yeoman's work for decades. Honestly, I would have preferred if Pat had chosen not to to run this year. 43 years in the Senate is a long run.

We grow good very progressive politicians here.

You want to throw money to defeat our progressive politicians running for congress, go for it. Nothing could be more assured of failure.

We'll just laugh our asses off as your petty malice and utter cluelessness.