Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the most senior member of the Senate, announced Monday he will not seek a ninth term, setting the stage for a potentially large field of candidates running to succeed the 81-year-old.
The Associated Press reported that Leahy said he and his wife “concluded” that “it is time to pass the torch to the next Vermonter who will carry on this work for our great state. It’s time to come home.”
Leahy, first elected to the Senate in 1974, added, “I know I have been there for my state when I was needed most. I know I have taken our best ideas and helped them grow. I brought Vermont’s voice to the United States Senate and Vermont values across the world.”
The Democrats will have to scramble to find a suitable candidate to replace Leahy since his retirement will create the first vacancy in the state’s congressional delegation since 2006 — which could be the opportunity some Democrats have been looking for to seek higher education office.
Matthew Dickinson, a political science professor from Vermont, told the AP that one likely choice to replace the outgoing senator would be the state’s only congressional member, Democrat Rep. Peter Welch (VT). “I think he would be the logical candidate, and that would set up the musical chairs about who replaces him in Congress,” Dickinson said.
However, if Welch runs for Senate, it would leave his seat wide open for another potentially brutal battle for state Democrats looking to run for a position as well, also giving Republicans a chance at an open Senate and House seat.
This could also give self-described socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the state’s other senator, a chance to endorse and help elect a far-left candidate of his choosing.
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona (Gage Skidmore/Flickr).
Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) chair Gary Peters (D-MI), in a statement touting the state electing a Democrat to statewide federal office, discounting that the state has also elected a Republican for governor, who has been in office since 2017.
“Vermont is a blue state that has not elected a Republican to statewide federal office in more than 20 years, and Democrats look forward to winning this Senate seat in 2022,” Peters said.
Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter.
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