Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell made public Thursday that he plans to seek a ninth full term next year.
The news surfaced on WDEV’s Mark Johnson show, and it comes roughly a year after Sorrell won a hard-fought Democratic primary against challenger and Chittenden County State’s Attorney TJ Donovan.
When Johnson asked Sorrell about future election plans, Sorrell said, “I am intending to run next year. I am fully engaged in any number of issues both in state and out state that impact Vermonters, and so my intention is to run and if the voters want another two years from me as AG then I’m happy to serve.
“So, you’re definitely going to run?” Johnson asked.
“I’m gonna run,” Sorrell said.
Sorrell said later in an interview that there are still things he wants to accomplish as attorney general.
“Mark just asked the question, and I said yeah my intention is to run next year,” Sorrell said. “I said when people asked me very early this year what am I thinking, I said what I had decided to do was I had a tough race last year and had to do all the campaigning and I was just going to focus on doing the job through the legislative session and part of the summer before I even started thinking about it. At the end of August I started thinking about the issues that are important to Vermonters, and I’m actively engaged in the day-out work, and so I’d be happy to continue doing this work for another term if the voters want me to do so.”
Sorrell, 66, acknowledged that he would have to retire, someday.
“I take them one at a time obviously,” he said of campaigns. “I’m not starting out by saying this will be my last term, but clearly I’m getting toward the end of my tenure. I’m the longest serving attorney general in Vermont history. It’s been since May 1, 1997, and I of course was appointed by Gov. Dean.”
Sorrell said he had no idea whether he will face another challenge, from Donovan or anyone else.
“I haven’t talked to anybody, and obviously I had the experience last year with having a fight. And I know what I’ll be in for if I have a big fight,” he said.
Donovan declined to comment on his political intentions.
To hear Johnson’s interview with Sorrell, click here.
This article was updated at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
