By Dylan Marsh
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
Chris Morrow of Weston, Vermont, has announced his candidacy for Windsor County Senate Seat.
The Vermont State Senate Windsor District is made up of three seats and, as of 2020, state senators each represent 16,489 constituents. Senators have two-year terms and are not subject to term limits.
While he will be running as a Democrat in the upcoming elections, Morrow says that he isn’t big on labels.
“I am liberal/progressive on most social issues and moderate on fiscal issues. Mostly, I am interested in creative problem solving regardless of where it comes from. We need to continue to push the government to adapt to the times and be responsive to the electorate,” Morrow said over email correspondence.
Morrow will be up against two incumbents for the Senate seat position; both Alison Clarkson and Richard McCormack will be running to retain their positions. Clarkson, a Woodstock, VT resident, was first elected to the State Senate in 2016. McCormack, a Montpelier resident, has served consecutively since 2006. Alice Nitka currently serves as a state senator but has not announced her candidacy for the upcoming election. Each senator’s tenure ends in 2023.
“I have always been interested in public policy and giving back to this state that I love. I am now able to make a real commitment by running for state senate. When Alice Nitka decided not to run again, I enthusiastically seized the opportunity to go to work for the people of Windsor County and the state,” Morrow stated in a press release.
Formerly the owner of Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT, Morrow announced along with his parents in 2021 that they had sold the bookstore. The Northshire Bookstore was founded by Morrow’s parents in 1976, and had become a local institution. His retirement from being a store owner has given Morrow the opportunity and time to run for office. In Morrow’s newfound free time he said he hopes to, “put my entrepreneurial problem solving skills to work contributing to the development of smart public policy,” in a release on June 2nd.
The key policy positions Morrow hopes to focus on accelerating and strengthening economic development, with a focus on local business, adopting sensible climate change mitigation and adaptation policies, and expanding affordable access to housing, health care and childcare.
In reference to strengthening Vermont’s local economy Morrow said he’d like to see more economic development dollars flowing to keep money in Vermont, to raise awareness about the importance of buying local and to direct state expenditures to buying locally. He also pointed to groups like Black River Innovation Campus as a non-profit that can, “help leverage significant private sector investment and growth opportunities.”
Morrow, a supporter of the Global Warming Solutions Act, hopes to influence federal policy when it comes to Climate Change. Vermont is currently responsible for 0.1% of the country’s emissions and he hopes to convince the Governor and Attorney General to help incubate progressive ideals on the federal level.
“Locally, we need to work on adaptation and resilience. The weather is already changing so we need to develop smart community and state level adaptation strategies. And we need to skill up our youngsters for the economy of the future — alternative energy work, weatherization, regenerative agriculture, etc.,” Morrow said via email.
Lastly Morrow hopes to focus on access to affordable housing and childcare. He acknowledges that the government session saw investment in the area of housing but that there is still much to do. Affordable childcare remains an issue for many parents and Morrow says that government intervention is needed.
“The current Vermont government has done a pretty good job during a very difficult time. I do have concerns about whether the legislature is designed to address the very complex and interconnected issues of the 21st century,” he said.
The primaries will take place on August 9, 2022, with the general election occurring November 8, 2022.
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