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Deb Markowitz, Peter Shumlin, Doug Racine, left to right. Photo donated by Alden Pellet

The Vermont Democratic Party held a unity rally for the 13 party candidates for statewide races, including state auditor, secretary of state, lieutenant governor and governor. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., headlined the event. The party’s stars, including former governors Howard Dean and Madeleine Kunin, and the faithful, including many state reps and senators, attended the to-capacity event, which attracted about 300 people.
The winners and also-rans were in attendance. All five gubernatorial candidates were in tow, though the winner of that contest is still unknown as the top three vote-getters — Sen. Doug Racine, Sen. Peter Shumlin and Secretary of State Deb Markowitz — are only a few hundred votes apart. A winner won’t be announced until a certified vote count is released by the Secretary of State’s Election Division and the candidates decide whether to call a recount.

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