Bruce Lisman’s candidacy in this year’s Republican primary for governor seems, to me, to be a rare chance for us as Vermonters to help ourselves.
I introduced myself to Lisman after hearing him speak at a candidate forum last October. I found his thoughtfulness and engagement to be head and shoulders above the others, all of whom spoke well, but the others showed ambition for the job, while Lisman demonstrated a passionate desire to help. This seemed to be the most notable difference to me.
Since then, I have listened to his thoughts about government and its role and abilities and I believe his insightful, but common sense approach will do us well, as a people and as a state.
Lisman, who is characterized negatively by some for his success as a businessman, is also a compassionate, thoughtful, engaged person raised in modest circumstances in Vermont. Lisman is fighting an uphill battle against the establishment candidate, Phil Scott, and I am grateful to him for doing so as I believe he has a chance to be the best leader this state has seen for a number of years.
I think Lisman fits the model of successful homegrown former businessman, and the mold of Governor Deane Davis, in that he comes from a business background and is fresh into politics with a fiscally conservative and socially liberal ethos and a sense of caring and of practicality that remind me not only of Davis but also of Richard Snelling in his terms of office.
I am grateful to political parties and the role they play for us but have always been a person who thinks the person and the thought is more important than the party. I am a party switcher, mostly voting for Democrats and sometimes thinking well of Republicans. In this case, though I am quite liberal myself, I feel that Bruce Lisman’s thoughtful conservatism is well founded and won’t strain my principles and I will be voting for him in the Republican primary and I encourage you to do the same.
Robert Bernstein
Bristol