Martha Rainville

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Martha Rainville

Martha Rainville is a former Vermont National Guard Adjutant General, and retired Air Force Major General. In 2006 she ran as the Republican candidate for the U.S. state of Vermont's at-large Congressional seat. She was defeated by Democratic candidate Peter Welch.

Rainville received a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Mississippi (1979). Following graduation, she entered the military, and earned an officer's commission. On February 20, 1997, she was elected Vermont's Adjutant General by a vote of the Vermont General Assembly, making her the nation's first female adjutant general. The position of adjutant general carried with it the rank of Major General.

In 2005, Rainville began consulting with members of the Republican and Democratic parties regarding a possible run for the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate. She was courted by members of both parties. It was later rumored that Rainville was prepared to throw her hat into the House race as a Democrat on the condition that no other Democrats ran. Senate President Peter Welch, a Democrat, had already declared that he was a candidate. Rainville announced her candidacy in the early spring of 2006 as a Republican, stressing government reform, ethics, homeland security, a strong national defense, and unqualified support for the White House policy in the Iraq War.

Rainville's campaign, though a positive one, made several serious gaffes and struggled to get off the ground. A plagiarizing scandal involving one of her staffers resulted in a severe drop in the polls. She signed a Clean Campaign Pledge in which she vowed to not attack her opponent Welch, and condemned negative TV ads by third parties in the race.

A strong national anti-Republican wave, based partially on dwindling support for the Iraq occupation, made winning the seat an uphill battle. On Election Day, Welch was elected with a 9 percent lead. It was Rainville's first run for office.

Rainville resides in Williston, Vermont. She is divorced and has three children.