The Vermont Democratic Party formally endorsed Dean Corren, a Progressive candidate for lieutenant governor, on Saturday in a 31-4 vote of party officials.
Corren says the endorsement is “a critically important step” in his race against incumbent Republican Phil Scott.
In practical terms, the Democratic nomination means that the party will encourage volunteers to put up signs for Corren and encourage people to vote for him in the General Election.
The endorsement does not, however, give the Progressive candidate access to the voter checklist, a proprietary database of information that the Democratic Party has honed over time. Nor does it give Corren access to Democratic Party funds.
“We know how much work went into the lists and we have no need for access,” Corren said. “We want to coordinate the campaign so that volunteers who are eager to put out our signs when doing their all that for the governor are doing that for me, too.”
Corren says he is delighted with the endorsement and help from party volunteers. He doesn’t need the voter checklist or party financial support, he says, because he is a publicly funded candidate and he is not seeking donations for his bid for office. He cannot, in fact, take contributions, and he must pay for in-kind support. Under state rules, he can only accept volunteer labor.
Any mailings the party sent out on his behalf for example, must be paid for by his campaign.
In June, Corren qualified for $200,000 in public financing.
In the August primary, Corren received more than 3,800 write-in votes on the Democratic ballot; he needed 250 in order to be considered for the endorsement.
