The presumed next president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate has picked a lobbyist on progressive health care policies to be his chief of staff.
Sen. Tim Ashe, D/P-Chittenden, said he intends to hire Peter Sterling, a longtime single-payer advocate who ran the Dr. Dynasaur 2.0 campaign and lobbied to study the issue during the 2016 session.
Ashe said he was looking for someone who had the skill set to work on various policies, set up public meetings and reach out to the community outside of Montpelier. Additionally, he wanted someone who was resilient when working with “big personalities” in the Senate.
“He is experienced enough that he will be able to handle both the logistical work that is very critical to the job but also be comfortable supporting us as we handle different policy issues,” he said.
Ashe has been a leader in the Senate on health care issues, but he said his choice is about the personal qualities and skills that Sterling can bring to the job and not his views on health care.
“Peter has worked for (U.S. Sen.) Bernie Sanders, so he understands that when you work for people who have gone through an election process, it’s (the politician’s) views that matter and not” the staffer’s, Ashe said.
Ashe said he is not trying to get out in front of the election of the pro tem, which will happen when the Legislature convenes in January. But he said Sterling would put in some hours during December.
Sterling’s salary will be $61,000 a year.
