Vermont Governor Comes Home to Middlebury Douglas Muses about Morning Commute, Dean's Chances

Author: Devin Zatorski

Vermont is one of six states without a governor's mansion, but that's fine by Gov. Jim Douglas '72. He's been commuting from Middlebury to Montpelier throughout his 29 years in elected office. "It's about an hour and five minutes," he estimated. "But 50 minutes without school buses."

It's a stretch of road he knows well. He's clocked enough miles to equal several trips to the moon, he said in an interview with The Middlebury Campus. "I've made Foster Motors very happy over the years," he laughed, referring to the local dealership owned by distant cousins of his wife Dorothy.

His career in state politics began the old fashioned way - "with shoe leather," the governor said. He wore his soles thin by visiting every residence in the three-town district of Middlebury, Weybridge and Ripton during campaign season. And in an early display of political savvy, he waited until he graduated from Middlebury College to announce his candidacy for the Vermont State House. That way the headlines read "College Graduate Seeks State House Seat" instead of branding him a "College Student." He never left state politics after his initial election on the Republican ticket for State House.

His career hopscotch - from State Representative to Secretary of State to State Auditor, among others - exposed him to the many corners of state government. "Out of cacophony I began to hear the music of government," he later commented to an audience in Mead Chapel on Friday night.

Douglas most recently served as State Treasurer under former Gov. Howard Dean, whose bid for the Democratic nomination for the presidency has been gaining momentum of late. "Dean's doing better than I would have expected," Douglas said. "To be honest, that may say something about the rest of the field."

Douglas, a former president of the Middlebury College Republicans, said, "I, frankly, will be supporting the incumbent."

Since Vermont is one of only two states where the governor faces reelection every two years - the other is neighboring New Hampshire - Douglas will soon gear up for another run. But he's no stranger to the campaign trail. He said he will rely on his record of accomplishment in what's been "a remarkable nine-and-a-half months in office."

Although he is up for reelection twice as often as his counterparts, he need not fret about recall. "Recall is quite alien to Vermont," Douglas said.

One less thing to occupy his mind during the morning commute.