The speculation is that Tim Ashe, top right, would be a strong contender to beat incumbent Miro Weinberger, bottom right, to occupy the mayor’s office at Burlington City Hall. The election is next March.
The rumors started swirling almost immediately after the lieutenant governor primary election.
Political newcomer Molly Gray had scooped up the Democratic nomination for LG. In doing so, she defeated one of Vermont’s brightest and youngest political stars — Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe — who, for the first time in more than a decade, won’t return to elected office in January.
However, now people are wondering if Ashe might pick up one of the most powerful local roles in Chittenden County. According to Burlington’s political insiders, people are whispering and wondering: Will Tim Ashe run for mayor of Burlington?
In an emailed response to VTDigger, Ashe said “I’m flattered some people think I’d be a good fit to lead the city during these difficult times. … Honestly, I’m decompressing from a long and difficult legislative session to which I was completely committed. I have not been thinking about a run for mayor.”
Nevertheless, his supporters say his stature in the Senate, his experience in local and state politics, and his ability to represent both Democratic and Progressive values in a city equally — but contentiously — split by the two political parties could make him a strong contender.
Others caution that Ashe just came off of a big race and a big loss. Jumping into a tumultuous mayor’s race may be the last thing he wants to do.
And yet — “The minute he lost the nod for lieutenant governor, I myself thought, ‘Well, I wonder if he’d be interested in running for mayor?’” said Sharon Bushor, a former Burlington city councilor.
For 32 years, Bushor represented Ward 1 as an independent. She lost to Progressive Zoraya Hightower, Ward 1, last March.
Bushor served with Ashe on the city council. He was a councilor from 2004 to 2007 as a Progressive, then won a Chittenden County Senate seat in 2008. She reminisced about working with him on city council policy, specifically to create opportunity for younger Burlingtonians.
“I found his insight remarkable for his age, Tim forgive me,” Bushor said. “So I was very happy when he went to Montpelier because I felt that he could do greater good.”
Is Weinberger vulnerable?
Bushor said Ashe’s reputation as a thoughtful political leader who is able to compromise could serve him well in a race for mayor. She also thinks current Mayor Miro Weinberger is vulnerable in the upcoming election — an observation that isn’t hard to come by in Burlington.
She specifically brought up concerns she heard from Ward 1 residents while knocking on doors in her re-election campaign. She said her constituents, unprompted, shared their frustrations about Weinberger and the perpetually stalled City Place downtown development project. The future of the city’s largest office, retail and residential complex is now clouded by lawsuits.
Others have pointed to the debacle over Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo’s resignation, after he lied about using a fake Twitter account to harass a troll. Weinberger allowed del Pozo to take a medical leave of absence when del Pozo disclosed the account to him, but didn’t give the public an explanation until months later.
Weinberger has also faced complaints about policing and racial justice. Protesters occupied Battery Park for over a month this fall, demanding Weinberger fire three officers accused of excessive force. While one of the officers left the force after reaching a settlement agreement with the city, Weinberger refused to buy out the other two officers.
Kurt Wright, a former Republican city council president who lost a bid for mayor in 2009, said he’s heard Burlington residents discussing, and supporting, an Ashe run for mayor. Wright thinks he’d be a formidable contender.
Wright also said voters might have Weinberger fatigue — he’s been in office for nine years — beyond the issues that have popped up in the past year. On his radio show, “The Morning Drive,” Wright said Weinberger has previously said it would be irresponsible to step away now, when so many crises have emerged at once for the leader of the Queen City to address.
“I think Tim did an incredible job as leader of the Senate,” Wright said. “I think he’s one of the younger people to be Senate pro tem. Nobody has no detractors but, almost by all accounts, he’s really provided tremendous leadership.”
Olivia LaVecchia, Weinberger’s communications and projects coordinator, said the mayor will make his own plans clear after the Nov. 3 election. Until then, LaVecchia said in an email, Weinberger is “focused on continuing to steer the city through the pandemic and related economic distress, making progress on racial justice issues.”
In an emailed response to VTDigger about a possible re-election campaign, Weinberger said he’s “never felt more support and sense of common purpose from Burlingtonians than I have over the last seven months as we’ve come together to suppress the virus as well as any community in America, weather this incredible financial storm, and begin to forge a new consensus on policing and racial justice.”
Progressive plans for mayor’s race
It’s been no secret that the Progressive Party wants to make an aggressive move to win the Burlington mayor’s office.
“Miro Weinberger, we’re coming for you,” Progressive Party Executive Director Josh Wronski said during a post-Town Meeting Day victory speech last March, after Progressives secured two more city council seats. Now, the City Council is made up of six Progressives, five Democrats and one independent.
If Ashe, who has balanced his Progressive and Democratic political identities throughout his career, decided to jump into the race, he could throw off the party’s momentum.
Ashe got his start in Burlington politics as a Progressive on the city council. But he ran as a Democrat/Progressive on the 2008 ballot for Senate, and has continued to hold that mixed political label in the Statehouse ever since.
In 2011, Ashe lost to Weinberger in a race for the Democratic nomination for mayor. However, Ashe advertised himself as the “fusion” candidate, because he also sought the Progressive nomination. In the city’s Democratic caucus, he lost in a runoff, 655-533, after multiple rounds of voting. In one round Ashe had placed one vote ahead of Weinberger; after a recount the candidates tied.
In an emailed response to VTDigger, Ashe said “I have run as a Democrat for 12 years so if and when I decide to run for a new office it would be the same.”
Some reject him as a single-party candidate, like Jane Knodell, who served on the council for 19 years before losing the Progressive nomination to current Councilor Perri Freeman, Central District, in January 2019.
“He’s too much of a Democrat for Progressives and too much of a Progressive for Democrats,” she said. However, she thinks Ashe would be an “excellent mayor” and she would “work very hard for his candidacy.”
Knodell says Ashe’s mishmashed political identity could benefit him in a race for mayor in a city like Burlington. Voters might be looking for a candidate who can be an equalizer, especially as Progressives try to avoid splitting the vote, as in 2018.
In 2018, Weinberger won with 48% of the vote. Carina Driscoll received 35% and Infinite Culcleasure won 16%.
A unifying force?
Progressive Councilor Brian Pine, Ward 3, agreed with Knodell that the Progressive Party needs to endorse someone who can unify voters. Pine, who said he’s actively considering running for mayor, said Ashe has the background and experience to bring people together.
Wronski said the Progressive Party’s Burlington mayoral election committee has been recruiting contenders for the upcoming race. Ashe’s name has been brought up, Wronski said, as the party prepares for what’s expected to be a competitive Progressive caucus.
“Tim has been part of that conversation,” Wronski said. “I know people have reached out to him and I don’t think there’s been a ‘no.’ It was more like, he’s less likely to run, but was potentially thinking about it.”
“But he also just got off of another big campaign,” Wronski added.
Ashe said he doesn’t think anyone contacted him on behalf of a political party about the mayor’s race, though many people have been reaching out to him about running.
Wronski said the party isn’t seeking a “specific type” of Progressive for the mayor’s race. He said the caucus members will choose the candidate who best aligns with the values they support. He added that, if Ashe were to run as an independent, the party would be open to endorsing him.
Progressive Councilor Max Tracy, Ward 2, is also being floated as a potential candidate. He did not respond to a request for comment.
Independent Councilor Ali Dieng, Ward 7, has also said he’s considering running.
Progressive Councilor Jack Hanson said he thinks Ashe would be a strong contender for mayor, given the support he received from voters in Senate races. He described Ashe as “laser-focused” on achieving results and advancing policy.
Hanson was wary about critiquing Ashe’s political style, since he hasn’t announced his candidacy.
“I would say that he’s less ideological,” Hanson said, “and more pragmatic.” He declined to speculate whether that political style would mesh well with the swell of Progressive support the city has been seeing.
Clarification: This story was updated to more precisely describe Kurt Wright’s view of what might factor into a decision by Mayor Miro Weinberger about whether to seek reelection.
