U.S. House hopefuls square off at Midd

Author: Derek Schlickeisen

Candidates for Vermont's open U.S. House seat debated foreign policy Tuesday night in Mead Chapel. With public opinion polls predicting Democratic gains in November's elections, the race has become one of the most closely-watched Congressional competitions in the country. Strategists believe Republican Martha Rainville's candidacy represents one of her party's best opportunities to off-set possible losses elsewhere.

In a debate with six participants, the two major-party candidates engaged only each other, clashing over both foreign policy and their own partisan affiliations. Leading in recent polls by a slim six-point margin, Democratic State Senate President Peter Welch went straight at Rainville in response to moderator Chris Graff of Vermont Public Television's first question about the Iraq war.

"I opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning," said Welch. "That the war has bolstered terrorism is not a partisan argument. That is now an accepted fact."

Seeking to tie his Republican opponent to her party's control of Congress in a state that has voted Democratic in recent years, Welch repeatedly argued that changing the United States' Iraq policy requires a change in partisan control of Congress.

"This election is about competing philosophies," he said. "The philosophies of the Bush presidency and the Republican Congress can be clearly stated - go it alone."

Rainville, a former Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard, charted a moderate course in responding to Welch's attacks. The Republican drew contrasts between herself and her party just as frequently as her opponent contrasted himself with her.

"I am not George Bush, I am not Dennis Hastert and I am not Nancy Pelosi," said Rainville, referring to the Republican and Democratic House leaders. "I am Martha Rainville."

Rather than explicitly stating her support for any of the Bush administration's policy priorities, Rainville cast many of her positions in a more personal light. In response to a question about the U.S.' refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol, she said, "I am not a climatologist, but I am smart enough to know that we can only control what we can control. And we cannot use not signing onto the Kyoto Protocol as an excuse for our own actions."

In contrast, Welch recast the global warming question as a matter of partisan identification. He noted that the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce has stated he will not push House action on global warming for as long as he holds that position. "We have no excuse for inaction," said Welch.

In an race that has surprised many observers with its closeness - and which could tip control of the House to either party based on its outcome - Welch and Rainville stressed their competing views on the importance of party identification. In an interview with The Campus following the debate, Rainville again stressed the importance of her individual stances as opposed to those of her party's leadership.

"I really am a moderate," she said. "I certainly intend to be that voice from Vermont. We have a rich history of speaking our minds in this state and of sending moderate Republicans to Congress that have a huge impact, whether it's on the environment or education. I think that real change comes from within."

By contrast, Welch told The Campus that the Republican control of Congress which Rainville would support mattered far more than her personal views. "The first vote that Vermont's new member of Congress would make would be for Dennis Hastert or Nancy Pelosi as Speaker," he said. "The national Republican Party strategy is to pretend they haven't been in power for six years. My opponent is about two more years of the Bush agenda."

Rainville sought to counter Welch's focus on the Republican Congress' record with a forward-looking mindset. "We can spend hours debating the past, but we have to look at what is happening now and what we can do about it," she told The Campus. "If you're a young person and you're looking at how you're going to have a job and an affordable place to live, and whether the world is going to be a peaceful place, we have to look ahead, and we have to look ahead together."

Welch highlighted his support of anti-global warming initiatives in the Vermont Senate and his campaign, taking the opportunity to compliment College students for their work as well. "Middlebury College students have played a very special role in raising awareness," he said.

With such a competitive statewide race, both Democrats and Republicans on campus have made an effort to involve themselves in this fall's elections. "What we are doing for the Welch campaign is getting out the vote," said Antoinette Rangel '09, president of the Middlebury Democrats. "Welch is a clear choice for young people because he is sincerely concerned about our future and has the experience to be an effective leader. He cares about global warming and advocates finding affordable renewable energy which is crucial to protecting our environment."

Stefan Claypool '09, co-president of the Middlebury Republicans, said his organization is equally enthusiastic about Rainville. "Not only does Martha Rainville recognize the necessity of building a stronger, safer America for future generations, but she is qualified to assist in doing so," he said.

"As a retired Air Force Major General and Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard, she has an understanding of America's security needs that far surpasses that of her opponent."

With such a close race in the balance, tense moments in the debate were broken up by several of the lesser-known participants, including "Impeach Bush Now" candidate Dennis Morriseau. "This may be the only time you see us four wing nuts on stage with the establishment candidates," the Burlington restaurant owner quipped to loud applause.

Both the Democrats and Republicans plan to campaign locally for their candidates in coming weeks.