When both parties nominate the same person, it’s either a speck of sanity or brazen primary fraud. Politico reports:
Vermont Rep. Peter Welch is about as liberal a member of Congress as you’ll find. So what’s he doing running for reelection as a Republican?
Fear not, Democrats. It turns out Welch, the Green Mountain State’s lone representative, will be on the ballot this fall as both a Democrat and a Republican. A write-in campaign for the GOP nomination was launched on his behalf without his knowledge, and after coming out on top, Welch accepted.
“Obviously, there’s no secret about where my policies are, where my voting record is,” Welch said in an interview. Without a hint of sarcasm, however, he added: “I’ve accepted the Republican nomination [and] I’m pleased to have it.”
On most issues, Welch is a Bernie Sanders-backing, card-carrying progressive. But Republicans adore the 69-year-old congressman, and he’s actually kinda proud of his cross-party credentials.
Makes me smile. Maybe the Vermonters will be the source of the return of sanity to the GOP. That would be a relief.
