Anthony Pollina
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Anthony Pollina (born February 17, 1952) is a politician, currently running for the Progressive Party nomination for Governor in the state of Vermont. He is running a primary race against blogger Michael Colby. The winner of this contest will face Republican incumbent James Douglas and Speaker of the House Democrat Gaye Symington.
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[edit] Electoral History
Pollina is running his fourth campaign for statewide office in Vermont. In 1984, Pollina won a Democratic Party primary for Congress against Paul Forlenza and John Tatro. Pollina received 44% of the vote, Forlenza received 24% and Tatro received 27%. Pollina was defeated in the general election by Incumbent Republican James Jeffords.
In 2000 Pollina ran for governor as a member of the Vermont Progressive Party, receiving 9.5% of the vote in the general election. Pollina ran against incumbent Democrat Howard Dean who received 50.4% of the vote and former Representative Ruth Dwyer who received 38% of the vote.
In 2002 Pollina ran as the Progressive Party candidate for for Lieutenant Governor, receiving 25% of the vote against Republican Brian Dubie and state Senator Peter Shumlin.
[edit] Political Activism
Pollina served as a Senior Pollicy Advisor for then Congrssman Bernie Sanders from 1991-1996. Pollina has worked as the Interim Director and as a Policy Director for the Vermont Public Interest Group. Durring the 1997 and 1998 sessions of the Vermont Legislature, Pollina worked as advocate for campaign finance legislation that established public funding for statewide political campaigns. In 2002, when Pollina’s campaign for Lt. Governor failed to qualify for public funding, he filed suit in federal court to overturn the law. In 2003 Pollina started a call in radio show on WDEV called Equal Time Radio. The program was a forum for Pollina to discuss local and national politics from a left-leaning perspective. He quit the radio program in 2007 in order to run for Governor.
Pollina served as a founding board member of the Vermont Milk Company, a farmer owned and operated dairy in Hardwick Vermont. The company was established in 2006 with a focus on paying farmers a higher than average price for milk and marketing the products locally. Pollina resigned from the board of the Vermont Milk company in 2008 to focus on his campaign for governor. Shortly after, allegations arose that the Vermont Milk Company was experiencing financial problems. News reports at the time confirmed that the company was more than 60 days past due on payments to its member farmers.
Shortly thereafter, an anonymous investor bailed the company out with a $200,000 investment. [1]
[edit] Personal Life
Anthony Pollina was born in New Jersey. He graduated from Johnson State College in Johnson, Vermont. He is presently head of the Vermont Democracy Fund. He currently resides in Middlesex Vermont with his wife Deborah and their two daughters, Alessandra and Maya.
[edit] External Links
- Pollina for Governor Campaign Website
- VT Progressive Party website
