Voters in the Vermont House District Windsor-Orange-1, which covers Royalton and Tunbridge, will choose between Democrat John O’Brien of Tunbridge, the incumbent, and Republican Bruce Post of Royalton for one seat on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The Valley News sent a survey to both candidates about their experience, why they are running and what they see as the biggest issue facing the state. Post did not respond. O’Brien’s answers, edited lightly for style, appear below.
O’Brien, who has served eight years in the House, describes affordability as the issue nearly everyone agrees on. He ties it to healthcare, school costs, housing and the loss of dairy farms, and says he wants to build a bipartisan coalition focused on problem-solving. Post did not return the questionnaire.
JOHN O’BRIEN
Democrat · VT House Windsor-Orange-1
John O’Brien
63, Democrat, Tunbridge
Political experience: State representative for eight years; Tunbridge Selectboard member for 13 years; justice of the peace for 29 years.
Professional experience: My wife, Emily Howe, and I run an event venue on our family farm, Landgoes Farm. I was a filmmaker.
Community service: Coaching Little League, soccer and skiing; trustee for the Tunbridge Fire Department; tutor for students.
Why are you running? To create a bipartisan coalition that will commit to problem-solving without a whole lot of party politics or egos involved.
Biggest issue: Almost everybody agrees that “affordability” is the number one issue. We can’t afford healthcare; we can’t afford paying more for schools with declining enrollments; we can’t afford to buy a house; we can’t afford to lose any more dairy farms. I proposed taxing food on how far it travels.
| CANDIDATES: STILL WANT TO BE INCLUDED? If you are running for office in the Upper Valley and have not received the Valley News candidate questionnaire, contact Managing Editor Allison Rogers at arogers@vnews.com or 603-727-3220, or Deputy Editor Molly Hughes at mhughes@vnews.com or 603-727-3213. |