Editor’s note: Matt Krauss, of Stowe, is a happily retired state employee and a former Vermont legislator.
[I]f you are a moderate Republican or independent and want to bring some moderation to Montpelier, hopefully the title of this commentary got your attention. Maybe it was due to luck, hard work, fortuitous timing or understanding Vermonters – who knows – but the title is true. I am an ordinary Republican who overcame the odds and never lost an election.
After the recent Vermont elections there have been some excellent editorials regarding the necessary and valuable review of the state GOP. Rep. Heidi Scheuermann and Rep. Fred Baser are a couple who have offered important suggestions and insights.
My focus is different. Hopefully my story will encourage moderate Republicans and independents to ignore all the political pundits, cynics and naysayers. Maybe you’ll consider running for and winning election to the Vermont Legislature. Vermont and Gov. Phil Scott could use your help.
Before the rest of the story, I want to acknowledge the honor the wonderful folks in Barre City and Washington County bestowed upon this ordinary Vermonter: the opportunity to serve them in the Legislature.
So where’s the proof and history to back up the title?
I participated in four elections for the Vermont Legislature. There were lots of headwinds and impediments for Republicans during this time. The other candidates were all admirable and respected and ran very hard races. All of the races were contested and none were easy. I heard all the same things you hear today from cynics: “You can’t win as a Republican in this district. You can’t beat an incumbent. You can’t raise money. You can’t do this, and you can’t do that.”
In 1988 I ran for the House of Representatives from the City of Barre. The district was one of the top 10 Democratic districts in Vermont. It’s safe to say Barre City is a Democratic city. I ran as a Republican and was a pure election neophyte who didn’t know what an absentee ballot was and had never been in the Statehouse before being elected. In hindsight, not “knowing” anything was a great advantage.
The incumbent was a four-term representative and chair of the House Fish and Wildlife Committee. They were respected and appreciated – and rightfully so – by sportsmen throughout the state. They fought hard for the rights of sportsmen and listened attentively to their concerns.
The district hadn’t elected a Republican in 22 years. While campaigning, it became obvious that many of the voters had never really known a Republican. However, as the campaign progressed, it also became abundantly clear that most folks were friendly, courteous and open to listening. It buoyed my confidence immeasurably. Most Vermonters are similarly inclined and would like moderates running their state. Fortunately, the final vote was 779 to 579.
Less than a week after the election, the local newspaper said, “it may not be possible for [Krauss] to hold onto the seat.” Two years later, the vote was 993 to 254. This was against a talented and courageous candidate who worked very hard. I was pleased to note they recently were elected to the Vermont House.
After two terms in the House of Representatives, I was “introduced” to the concept of redistricting. Redistricting actually meant being pushed into a new district in a diabolical cage match. A race for the Senate in Washington County seemed like a much more pleasant alternative.
The “experts” said, “You can’t win. It’s the wrong time to run. You can’t beat an incumbent senator. Senate committee chairs never lose. You can’t raise the kinds of money you’ll need.”
In the first race for the Senate, there were three long-term veteran senators in Washington County with a combined 46 years in the Senate. All three were Senate committee chairs. They were well-known, extremely talented and tenacious campaigners. They had fantastic skills and abilities and were a solid team known to look out for Washington County residents.
Thankfully, a wonderful woman – a lifelong practical Vermonter – volunteered to be the campaign manager. She was a “do-er,” not a talker. She organized over 200 volunteers to gather over 3,000 signatures to place my name on the ballot. Over 520 persons contributed to the campaign. All of them were from Vermont except for two contributions. Determined to try lots of “different” things, all of our print ads were, let’s just say, “unconventional.”
Surprisingly, and with more than a little luck, I edged out a multi-term incumbent by 285 votes. They served their constituents honorably, attentively, faithfully and were well-versed in legislative matters. They still serve their local community today in an admirable fashion. The election brought the first GOP senator from Barre City in many, many years.
Two years later, it was an energetic, generally issue-oriented and hard-fought campaign. Candidates included a present Washington County senator, a long-term member of the House, and a radio journalist who covered the entire state. These were all good candidates who brought great expertise and energy to the race. You couldn’t help but learn a lot from every one of them.
The race was described by the media as “wide open” and “up for grabs,” while “Matt Krauss is seen as vulnerable.” As is always the case, the voters cast the final and most important vote. The re-election margin was 1,138 votes.
At the end of that two-year term, I voluntarily and happily retired from electoral politics, returned to my job at the State of Vermont and went back to college to get a nursing degree. During the intervening years, I continued to follow politics as an ordinary citizen. I stayed away from involvement in politics until Gov. Scott’s self-evident clarion call for an affordable Vermont.
So what can an ordinary Republican who came from a heavily Democratic community – a neophyte to politics, who upset two committee chairs, ignored conventional wisdom and the “experts” and never lost an election – offer to moderate Republican and independent candidates? That will be the subject for another day.
