Aimee Towne, of Morrisville, has announced a bid for the legislative seat House Speaker Shap Smith is relinquishing.
In a new release, Towne laid out a few priorities of her campaign, including education improvements, tax reform and economic revitalization.
“I believe in the people of this district. As their legislator, I will fight for what is right and what is fair and not what is politically acceptable,” said Towne, a Democrat. “They can count on me for that.”
Towne is first vice president of the Vermont State Employees’ Association and has worked for more than 16 years in the Office of Child Support and the state’s Economic Services Division.
Smith, a Morristown Democrat, dropped out of the gubernatorial race in November, disclosing that his wife, Dr. Melissa Volansky, had been diagnosed with breast cancer and saying he needed to focus on his family.
He said then that he would not seek re-election to his seat, which represents Elmore, Morristown, Woodbury and Worcester. He has served as speaker for eight years and has been in the Legislature since 2002.
In her announcement, Towne praised Smith’s work on a host of issues, including earned sick leave, equal pay and workers’ rights legislation.
“I will continue this commitment to fairness and social justice,” she said. “Equally important, Shap has never lost sight of the community he represents. Like Shap, I will bring the concerns of the district to Montpelier.”
