[H]ometown hero Bernie Sanders is predicted to crush Hillary Clinton in the Vermont primary next week, but that hasn’t stopped her staffers and surrogates from trying to claw out enough support to secure a few delegates.
“Hillary for Vermont has put a lot of work into organizing, because we believe that every voter should have a chance to show Clinton is the best candidate,” said Julie McClain, Clinton’s Vermont press secretary.
Clinton staffers here — many of whom come from the former secretary of state’s New Hampshire operation — have laid a ground operation in all parts of the state ahead of Super Tuesday, when Vermont and 10 other states cast votes.
The campaign is consistently canvassing in Burlington, Bennington, Norwich and Montpelier. Volunteers and staffers are also calling voters in rural small towns, and the campaign periodically holds meetings to engage with supporters.
Gov. @MadeleineKunin kicks off our packed @HillaryforVT #DayofAction canvass in Burlington! #vtforhrc #vtpoli pic.twitter.com/y7bzBehswA
— Daniel Ki (@danielrki) February 20, 2016
Stephanie Schriock, the president of the super PAC Emily’s List, was scheduled to speak Wednesday evening in Burlington about Clinton’s record on women’s issues. The organization, which supports female political leaders, says it has 3 million members.
While the campaign wouldn’t release the exact number of Vermont staffers, Clinton’s Vermont field director, Meagan Gardner, is a potent political force. She worked on President Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns, serving as Iowa field director for his re-election. She left a job in the White House to organize for Team Clinton.
“Our team is committed to reaching as many voters and supporters as we can right here in Vermont,” Gardner said. “We are not going to give up anywhere, and neither is Hillary Clinton.”
Staffers privately say they expect a big loss in Vermont. A recent Vermont Public Radio poll gave Sanders a huge lead in the state, 78 percent to 13 percent.
And while the poll isn’t good news for Clinton, it suggests she could pick up the needed number of votes to qualify for delegates: 15 percent.
Clinton is also likely to come out of Vermont with about half of the state’s 10 superdelegates, some of whom are stumping for her.
Billi Gosh, a superdelegate and longtime advocate for women in politics, supported Clinton in 2008 and has again endorsed her. She said she hopes Clinton can net one or two of the 16 non-superdelegates from Vermont.
“She’s so incredibly well-qualified,” Gosh said. “She’s been in the White House as first lady, served as a U.S. senator and secretary of state. She’s lived it, and she knows what it takes, physically, emotionally and politically.”
Montpelier Mayor John Hollar is not a superdelegate but has attended Clinton meetups to offer support.
“I hear a lot from undecided voters that there’s a conflict between the heart and the head,” Hollar said. “Bernie’s emotional appeal resonates with me, and it’s well-founded. But I think Clinton would be most effective in advancing Democratic proposals in a very partisan Washington, D.C.”
Hollar said the Clinton team reached out to him early regarding an endorsement.
Although most of the staffers crossed the Connecticut River after the Granite State primary, a small contingent of Clinton people was working before then.
Hollar, who has worked a phone bank and attended meetups, said he will continue to work but wasn’t sure how much ground the team can actually gain. The VPR poll had 7 percent of respondents unsure of who they would vote for on Tuesday.
“I’m not sure there’s a lot more to be done,” Hollar said. “Honestly this is not the state where they should be spending a lot of resources.”
