Freshman U.S. Rep. Peter Welch has no opponent
MONTPELIER, Vt. --Nearly 18 months into his first term, freshman U.S. Rep. Peter Welch is making headlines for taking on the president, he's got $825,000 in the bank and he doesn't have a major party opponent for the November election.
It's a heady time for the Hartland Democrat, who's credited by some with having an effective first term and criticized by others for not pressing for the impeachment of President Bush. Neither Vermont Republicans nor any other major party has found a candidate to take him on -- at least so far.
"I think both in terms of policy and politics he has had a very good first term. He's in a very strong position as a freshman," said Middlebury College political scientist Eric Davis. "I think the GOP has a real problem finding a candidate."
The GOP still hopes to convince someone to run, but it's not at the top of their priority list.
"There's still some interest in the race and there's still time to find someone by the filing deadline (of July 21) and that will be our goal," said state GOP Chairman Rob Roper.
But the state GOP's emphasis is elsewhere. Roper said the party was trying to find good candidates to try to redress the make up of the state House and Senate, which are both heavily tilted to the Democrats.
"You can run for a (state) House seat and raise $8,000 or $10,000 or go out and raise a million bucks" to run for Congress, Roper said. "We need to return a balance of power to the Statehouse. It's gotten really out of whack."
Davis said any credible Republican candidate would have to be willing to put up his or her own money and consider themselves a "sacrificial lamb" for the party.
Political experts say it's shaping up for a tough year for Republicans seeking House seats. They point to several recent special election in which Democrats have taken seats long held by Republicans, the most recent last week in Mississippi.
"Looking at those three special elections it is a wake up call," Roper said. "We're going to have to work really hard if we're going to make up any ground here."
Davis said Welch's years at the Vermont Statehouse gave him a boost as he transferred his experience to Congress. He had a thorough understanding of the political process.
"He's very good at working the committee system, doing things that get attention to the policy issues," Davis said.
Welch, a 61-year-old trial lawyer, was first elected to the Vermont House in 1980 and later rose to become state Senate president pro tem.
Two years ago, he was elected to Congress by defeating former National Guard Adjutant General Martha Rainville by 9 percentage points. It was the only competitive congressional race in the country in 2006 that didn't resort to negative campaigning.
When he arrived in Washington in January 2007, Welch landed two key committee appointments -- to the House Committee on Rules and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Welch, for his part, said he'd made his mark in Washington by bringing with him his Vermont values.
"It really is the fact that I've been able to take what I've learned in Vermont in the Legislature, working in the Vermont way of common sense and bipartisanship," Welch said. "It feels like you're showing up for work each day and you get something done."
Earlier this year, Welch sponsored a bill that requires the Bush administration to close a multibillion-dollar loophole in a law that overseas potential fraud in government contracts. Last month, the House passed it on a voice vote.
Last week, the House passed a Welch-sponsored bill to stop the federal government from buying crude oil to continue filling the nation's strategic petroleum reserve at a time when Americans are paying record high prices for gasoline. A day later, the Senate passed the same bill and it was sent to President Bush, who had opposed the idea.
On Friday, the Department of Energy stopped buying oil for the reserve.
"I don't really think he's doing anything to distinguish himself here in Vermont," Roper said. "He's spent a lot of time to ingratiate himself with the (Democratic) leadership" in Washington. He doesn't have much of an independent streak."
Last year, Newfane impeachment advocate Dan DeWalt said he was considering a run for Congress because Welch had failed to push for Bush's impeachment. So far, he hasn't entered the race.
Welch said he agreed with many of the points of the impeachment advocates, just not their methods.
"I've been very clear that impeachment would not have been effective," Welch said. "I agree with their criticism and indictment of George Bush." 