One of the continual laments in Vermont politics is that the pool of talent is less than it should be. It’s always been a struggle to convince those most capable to give up their time and their peace of mind in exchange for the daily tumult, and often thankless task of governing.
So when we see someone with the talent, the experience and the hint of interest, it behooves us to give the person a gentle nudge.
The person with that talent and the experience is Randy Brock; our hope is to get him to run for Lieutenant Governor.
There are few people any brighter, or more capable of painting a vision for what Vermont could be. There are few who are better versed on how the state operates (having served as state auditor and state senator.) And he is a political moderate; a Republican who has never allowed himself to be stained by the right wing of his party… He’s typically regarded as extraordinarily bright and reasonable. He prefers policy issues to spats over issues such as Planned Parenthood, abortion, etc.
And the role of lieutenant governor might be liberating for him in a way that running for governor isn’t. It’s a position that would allow him to display his strengths, king among them, the ability to help form coalitions to focus on where Vermont needs to be a decade or two from now. Lieutenant governors don’t have any responsibilities as regards the daily machinery of state government. But they are in a position to keep alive thoughts of higher aspirations.
Mr. Brock fits that profile. He also knows as well as anyone that the position is not one that’s likely to pave the way for his ever being governor: He’s tried that. And, in his case, that’s a good thing. It would free him to push the position into everything it could be.
What he could do as Lt. Gov. is treat the position as one responsible for generating ideas. He could be a provocateur — in a positive sense — a restless sort, someone not content with the status quo, someone always pushing ideas and suggestions as to how things could be done differently, more efficiently. He could be the state’s “what-if” person, the spark that lights up other ideas, and other people.
This is what Vermont needs.
It’s a calling that few have the talent to realize.
Mr. Brock has that talent, and he has the wisdom and the political seasoning to serve the state of Vermont well. He is already a known quantity and highly respected; he would need little to no on-the-job training.
Our hope is that he will consider our gentle nudge.
Emerson Lynn/St. Albans Messenger