Out In The Mountains : News - John Tracy and Matt Dunne Go Head to Head in Lt. Gov. Primary

John Tracy and Matt Dunne Go Head to Head in Lt. Gov. Primary
Democrats Both Longtime State Legislators

by Lynn McNicol

      Democrats Matt Dunne and John Tracy, both supporters of gay rights in Vermont, will be facing each other in the September 12th primary. The winner of that primary will face the popular Republican incumbent, Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie. Both candidates say they would take a far more active role than Dubie has.
      The role of lieutenant governor includes presiding over the Senate, breaking tie votes, and serving in the absence of the governor.
      Matt Dunne, 36, has lived in Hartland in Windsor County most of his life. Dunne graduated from Brown University and ran for the Vermont legislature a few months later, in the fall of 1992. While serving in the House, Dunne also worked for Logic Associates in Wilder.
      In his fourth term as a state representative, Dunne became the director of AmeriCorpsVISTA, a federal anti poverty program. Dunne accepted the position, continuing to serve when George W. Bush took office. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, Dunne said he was “infuriated” that Bush and his advisors took actions that, to him, preyed on people’s worst fears. He decided it was time to come home.
       In 2002, he ran a successful race for a seat in the Vermont Senate.
      Dunne completed his second term as senator this year after announcing his bid for the lieutenant governor job in December. Having served 11 years in the Legislature, Dunne is especially proud of programs he helped create to get young people involved in legislation and public policy. One such program is the UVM Research Shop in which students help legislators do research that helps shape legislation.
      “I had the extraordinary experience of being empowered at a young age by my home community,” Dunne told OITM last month. “Since that time I’ve dedicated my life to doing the same for others.” He’s enthusiastic about continuing to help people if elected as lieutenant governor this fall.
      “What I would love to do is transform it into an office of action,” he said. Dunne feels that Dubie follows the Bush political line, which has only modest support in Vermont. For example, Dunne noted, Dubie is opposed to civil unions, opposed to women’s right to choose abortion, defends the administration’s refusal to sign the Kyoto protocol on global warming, and defends wire-tapping of U.S. citizens without a warrant.
      “I believe the values of Vermont are under attack by a group of right wingers,” Dunne said. He expressed his frustration as a legislator serving on the Appropriations Committee at the damage done by budget cuts in Washington.
       Dunne also votes for equal rights for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.
       “I was a strong supporter of the gender identity bill,” Dunne said, and was “very disturbed” by Gov. Douglas’ veto of that bill.
      Nearly a decade ago, a friend asked Dunne if he supported same-sex marriage. He told the friend he did.
      “All people need to be equal under the law,” Dunne said. Dunne helped create the Vermont Film Commission and is credited with writing the first brownfields legislation to recover polluted land. He said the Catamount Health bill, which will go into effect next year, “starts to address” the problem of Vermonters who lack health insurance or the ability to pay for health care.
      “I would certainly not declare victory,” he said of the plan.
      John Tracy, Dunne’s opponent in the Democratic primary, is also a native Vermonter from Springfield. He announced his candidacy last month.
     After high school, Tracy enlisted in the U.S. Army and volunteered for service in Vietnam because “it was the right thing to do.” Tracy returned to Vermont when his tour of duty ended in 1972, with a changed opinion of the war and its leaders who “sometimes tell a different story” from the real story on the ground.
       When he returned, Tracy worked in construction and with young people as an Outreach Director for the YMCA. He also earned a political science degree at UVM, and became a stay-at-home dad. Tracy coached youth soccer and basketball for many years, and served on the Burlington Waterfront Board. Rep. George Cross, (D-Winooski) said Tracy was a “major player” in minimum wage legislation and helped create Act 60 and the Champion Land deal.
      Tracy, 54, said if elected as lieutenant governor, he would be far more outspoken than Dubie.
      “It’s not OK to be quiet,” Tracy said. “I have never shied away from difficult issues and never will.”
      Tracy has served 12 years in the House. He became assistant majority leader during his second term, and later served as majority leader. He chaired the House Committee on Health Care whose work led to the new Catamount Health plan.
      “No one has worked harder on health care,” said Rep. George Cross (D-Winooski) at the launch of Tracy’s campaign last month.
      “He has the ability to bring people together.”
       Tracy described traveling the state with Sen. Jim Leddy to talk with Vermonters about health care. He defends the decision to accept Catamount Health, which some say is a compromise bill that will help Vermonters only to a limited extent.
       Tracy also stood up for gay and lesbian Vermonters during the civil union debates. He was the majority leader in the House when the civil union bill passed. In that role he decided which bills come up for a vote.
       “John was really in the thick of the civil union fight,” said Rep. Bill Lippert (D-Hinesburg), who is openly gay. “That’s the kind of leadership I respect. John was there when we needed him.”
     Tracy also supports same-sex marriage.
      “I was proud to be one of 22 to vote for gay marriage in the debate over civil unions, and I would do so again,” he told OITM. Speaking on national issues, Tracy said he now believes it’s time to bring the troops home from the war in Iraq, while respecting those who served there. He also said Dubie has been quiet while civil rights and privacy are “under attack” at the federal level.
      When the Democratic State Committee voted this spring to urge Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against President Bush, Tracy joined others who decided against asking the Legislature to forward the message to Washington.
      “You should send the message directly to the people who have to act on it ... cut out the middleman,” Tracy was quoted in an Associated Press article.
      Political observers say whichever man wins, Vermont’s Democratic party will be well served.