Vermont

TexasTowelie

(116,799 posts) Tue Mar 7, 2017, 03:50 AM Mar 2017

Vermont elects a Muslim as its Democratic Party chair

WASHINGTON -- The most remarkable fact about Faisal Gill isn’t that he might be the first Muslim to ever be elected chair of a state party.

It’s that he now runs the Democratic Party in Vermont, perhaps the most liberal state in the union, only 10 years after running as a Republican candidate in Virginia – and serving as a lawyer in the administration of President George W. Bush.

“It is a clearly a remarkable journey,” said the 44-year-old, who on Saturday was elected chairman of the Vermont Democratic Party. “People would say, ‘Wait a minute, you used to be what?’ ”

Gill said he served as a lawyer in the Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Tom Ridge before narrowly losing a race for the Virginia House of Delegates in 2007.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article136820748.html

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Vermont elects a Muslim as its Democratic Party chair (Original Post) TexasTowelie Mar 2017 OP

What's even more remarkable is that Vermont Democrats lapucelle Mar 2017 #1

In general, Vermonters have high standards when it comes to their politicians. democrank Mar 2017 #2

lapucelle

(19,532 posts)

1. What's even more remarkable is that Vermont Democrats

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Mar 7, 2017, 06:23 AM

Mar 2017

embraced and elected someone who has clearly evolved on a variety of social issues without questioning his motives. That doesn't always happen.

democrank

(11,250 posts)

2. In general, Vermonters have high standards when it comes to their politicians.

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Tue Mar 7, 2017, 06:59 AM

Mar 2017

We seem to vote on issues rather than party, which helps explain why we have a Republican governor and a (very) Progressive Lt. Governor. In his last race, Senator Sanders won with about 71% of the vote, a greater number than existing Vermont Independents.

Vermonters (in general) reject negative advertising. The very existence of a negative ad would probably end up in a discussion on our local news.

As for Faisal Gill, the fact that he was once a Republican working in the Bush administration would be of little importance. What would really matter is where he stands today.

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