Vermont elects a Muslim as its Democratic Party chair

[TexasTowelie]

WASHINGTON -- The most remarkable fact about Faisal Gill isn’t that he might be the first Muslim to ever be elected chair of a state party.

It’s that he now runs the Democratic Party in Vermont, perhaps the most liberal state in the union, only 10 years after running as a Republican candidate in Virginia – and serving as a lawyer in the administration of President George W. Bush.

“It is a clearly a remarkable journey,” said the 44-year-old, who on Saturday was elected chairman of the Vermont Democratic Party. “People would say, ‘Wait a minute, you used to be what?’ ”

Gill said he served as a lawyer in the Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Tom Ridge before narrowly losing a race for the Virginia House of Delegates in 2007.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article136820748.html

[lapucelle]

1. What's even more remarkable is that Vermont Democrats

embraced and elected someone who has clearly evolved on a variety of social issues without questioning his motives. That doesn't always happen.

[democrank]

2. In general, Vermonters have high standards when it comes to their politicians.

We seem to vote on issues rather than party, which helps explain why we have a Republican governor and a (very) Progressive Lt. Governor. In his last race, Senator Sanders won with about 71% of the vote, a greater number than existing Vermont Independents.

Vermonters (in general) reject negative advertising. The very existence of a negative ad would probably end up in a discussion on our local news.

As for Faisal Gill, the fact that he was once a Republican working in the Bush administration would be of little importance. What would really matter is where he stands today.