[B]ENNINGTON — Three Democratic primary races for Bennington area offices emerged following the deadline Thursday for major party candidates to file nomination papers.
One primary involves the Bennington 3 (Shaftsbury-Sunderland-Glastenbury) House seat, which will be open because longtime incumbent Alice Miller is not seeking another term.
Shaftsbury Select Board Chairman Tim Scoggins will face David Durfee, who serves on the Shaftsbury and Mt. Anthony Union district school boards, in the Aug. 14 primary. Like the incumbent, both are Democrats.
Primary races also are set in the race for Bennington County sheriff, with incumbent Chad Schmidt and Southwest Vermont Career Development Center criminal justice instructor and former police officer James Gulley Jr. both running as Democrats.
And there will be a primary for the Democratic nomination for Bennington County State’s Attorney, with incumbent Erica Marthage opposed by attorney Arnold Gottlieb.
The primary winners will secure their party’s spot on the Nov. 6 ballot, where they could face an independent challenger. Independents have until Aug. 9 to file papers for the November election.
No Republicans filed in House District 3, or for the sheriff or state’s attorney posts.
While several incumbents in the Bennington County area face no opposition, a race has taken shape in House District 4 (Manchester-Arlington-Sandgate), and another appears likely in Bennington District 2-1. Both districts have two seats and three candidates for the November election.
Rep. Timothy Corcoran II, D-Bennington 2-1, and Democrat Chris Bates, the host of “Outdoor Secrets Unwrapped” on local cable television, filed the required 50 voter signatures by Thursday at 5 p.m. with the Bennington town clerk’s office. Republican Kevin Hoyt, a gun rights advocate and hunting show producer, was four voter signatures short on his petition, a spokeswoman for the office said, but he will have 10 business days to file additional signatures.
There will be an opening in Bennington 2-1 because Rep. Rachael Fields is not seeking re-election.
In House 4, the two incumbents, Reps. Cynthia Browning, D-Arlington, and Brian Keefe, R-Manchester, are facing challenger Kathleen James, a Democrat, on Nov. 6.
James is chairwoman of the Manchester Democratic Town Committee and has been active with organizations like EmergeVermont, Earth Matters and MoveOn Manchester.
In addition to the local House races, the county’s two Senate incumbents, Dick Sears and Brian Campion, both Democrats, are unopposed, barring a challenge from an independent.
And Bennington County Probate Judge D. Justine Scanlon is unopposed for another term.
Rep. Bill Botzow, D-Pownal/Woodford, also decided not to run again this year. In that district, longtime Pownal Select Board member Nelson Brownell, a Democrat, filed nomination papers and is unopposed at least through the primary to succeed Botzow.
In Bennington District 2-2, incumbent Reps. Mary Morrissey, a Republican, and Kiah Morris, a Democrat, are unopposed for that district’s two seats.
Also unopposed barring a challenge from an independent are Reps. Linda Joy Sullivan, D-Dorset (Bennington-Rutland); Kelly Pajala, I-Londonderry (Windham-Bennington-Windsor); and Laura Sibilia, I-West Dover (Windham-Bennington).
