(Editor’s note: This story was updated at 5:15 pm Monday.)
[B]URLINGTON — Former state representative and City Council member Carina Driscoll, who is Sen. Bernie Sanders’ stepdaughter, will run for mayor of Burlington.
Driscoll announced her candidacy in a statement Monday morning. She will challenge her former boss, Democratic Mayor Miro Weinberger.
Driscoll, 43, was elected to the Legislature in 2000 and served for two years, then was a city councilor from 2003 to 2004. She has also served in Weinberger’s administration as an assistant to the mayor. She currently runs the Vermont Woodworking School in Fairfax, which was formed under the aegis of now-defunct Burlington College while her mother, Jane O’Meara Sanders, was president of the school.
Driscoll has been debating running for some time, she said.
“Over the past couple years I have become increasingly concerned that we are headed in the wrong direction,” Driscoll said.
She said her main priority would be to bring more “unity” to Burlington. There is a lack of community input regarding the future of public assets like the Moran Plant, Memorial Auditorium, Burlington Telecom and others, she said.
“We’re living in this time of rapid development. We need to make sure that the citizens, that the people of Burlington are being brought into the process,” she said.
Driscoll said she would refrain from tapping into her stepfather’s formidable fundraising apparatus.
“I expect to receive the support of my parents that anyone would expect to receive from their parents, but not as a politician,” she said.
In a statement, Sanders said: “Jane and I are both very proud of our daughter, Carina, and all her accomplishments. We want to be respectful of Carina’s desire to do this on her own, just as she did as a School Board member, City Counselor and State Legislator. So, today is Carina’s day and her words and her ideas should be the focus, not anyone else’s.”
Sanders served four terms as mayor starting with a 10-vote upset in 1981.
Driscoll has run previously as both a Democrat and a Progressive, but will be an independent this time.
“I’ve been around this city for a very long time, and I think there has been a long, entrenched war between the Progressives and Democrats that is not productive,” she said.
She is bringing a team to Wednesday’s Progressive Party caucus to seek an endorsement. She is also seeking the Democratic endorsement, though that party likely will go with Weinberger, a Democrat.
A third candidate announced his bid Friday. Infinite Culcleasure, a community organizer and performing artist, will run as an independent.
In a statement issued Monday afternoon through his campaign manager, Weinberger welcomed the challenges.
“Burlingtonians deserve healthy democratic debate and real choice at the ballot box,” Weinberger said.
“I look forward to discussing the progress we’ve made over the last six years — progress that has made our city more equitable, environmentally sustainable, and stronger and has built a foundation for even greater successes to come,” he said.
Kurt Wright ran against Weinberger in the 2012 mayoral race, and entered the state legislature at the same time Driscoll did. With Driscoll running, Burlington is in for a lively race, he said.
“I certainly welcome there being a vigorous race for mayor. I think that will be welcomed by the citizens of Burlington,” Wright said.
Weinberger will have strengths, Wright said. On top of being the incumbent, he has racked up a number of success stories, notably improving the city’s finances from when he first took office. Last week, Moody’s Investors Service upgraded the City of Burlington’s credit rating from A3 to A2.
Moody’s noted that the city had budget surplus’ every year from 2013 to 2016, and credited the city management team with improving the city’s financial position.
Despite the financial successes, Wright said Weinberger’s political popularity may be waning.
Wright said there is some unhappiness with Weinberger in the New North End, where the city changed North Avenue from four lanes to three in order to provide more room for bike traffic and make the road safer. Groups opposing the lane change in Burlington’s New North End still feel spurned by the administration, he said. Wright represents the district.
“There is a potential for a candidate to tap into some issues,” Wright said.
Wright also pointed out that Driscoll would be Burlington’s first female mayor.
“That will bring another element to the race that a lot of people will be attracted to,” Wright said.
It’s too early to say which candidate he would support, Wright said.
John Franco is a Burlington attorney who worked with Sanders when he was mayor, and has represented many progressive figures throughout Burlington’s history.
Franco said he has known Driscoll since she was a child and he predicts she will be a formidable challenger.
“It’s important our elected leaders don’t get a pass,” Franco said.
The Burlington Town Center redevelopment and the sale of Burlington Telecom are two recent major issues that divided the city, Franco said, and Weinberger has exacerbated the divide.
“The mayor’s approach on them have essentially created a sense of civil war in the city,” Franco said.
Weinberger won re-election handily in the 2015 election, securing nearly 70 percent of the vote over a pair of candidates running to his left, Greg Guma and Steve Goodkind. Mayor Peter Clavelle also had years of token opposition, Franco said. Easy wins are unhealthy, he said.
“It’s really good for the city to have this election, it really is,” Franco said.