The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • 11

SI fcggfJy dm duyz Aung, M'Qpl1 bc3urltnston rcc press INSIDE Opinion 5B Business 6B Comics 9B SECTION www.burllngtonfreepress.com Wednesday, August 25, 2010 Metro Editor Patrick Garrity 660-1897 or (800) 427-3124 Page IB VERMONT Beaudry wins GOP nomination U.S. HOUSE Republican primary 215 of 260 precincts -83 percent Paul Beaudry 8,477 45 percent John Mitchell 7,754 41 percent Keith Stern 2,747 14 percent I've got it." He said supporters attributed his lead to the fact he campaigned harder than his opponents. And, he said, an endorsement from the Vermont Right-to-Life Political Committee carried weight in the Republican primary. "For me, the issue this fall is going to be the budget deficit. Peter Welch has been signing spending bills without regard to whether we have the money or not," he said.

Welch was not available for comment late Tuesday night. Mitchell had been hopeful at mid-evening. "We did extraordinarily well in Rutland County won by 800 votes," he said, and those numbers might not be in the statewide vote totals. "I can't say anything else yet because we don't know anything," he said. "It's too close to call." See HOUSE, 3B November.

Welch is seeking his third term in Congress and was unopposed in the primary. With 84 percent of precincts reporting, Beaudry led with 45 percent of the votes to 41 percent for retired Rutland CEO John M. Mitchell and 14 percent for Springfield grocer Keith Stern. Beaudry held an 800-vote lead over Mitchell at 11:40 p.m. Earlier in the evening, when his margin was only 3 Republicans compete to face Welch By Candace Page Free Press Staff Writer Former radio talk show host Paul Beaudry of Swan-ton won the GOP nomination Tuesday in the three-way Republican race to face Rep.

Peter Welch, in 300 votes, Beaudry appeared confident. "I'm feeling really good," he said. "It does look like 1 ryr-L IE I i. I ni i.i.i I IT 1 1 Howard, Scott run for It gov. Candidates hold off challengers By Nancy Remsen Free Press Staff Writer Republican Phil Scott and Democrat Steve Howard defeated vigorous challengers Tuesday in order to face off this fall in a race to become the state's next lieutenant governor.

Scott, 52, of Berlin, defeated Mark Snelling, 60, of Starksboro. With 82 percent of the precincts reporting, Scott had 12,419 votes 56 percent to Snelling's 9,670, or 43 percent. Howard, 39, of Rutland was victorious over Christopher Bray, 55, of New Haven. Howard had 22,671 votes to 20,211 for Bray; 53 percent to 47 percent. In the Progressive Party primary, Marjorie Power, 68, of Montpelier defeated her challenger, Boots Wardinski, 67, of Newbury to also win a place on the November ballot as a lieutenant governor candidate.

The race attracted candidates because the incumbent Republican Brian Dubie is running for governor. "I'm very happy and relieved," said Scott, a businessman and race-car driver. "We brought to- See IT. 3B Leahy easily takes party nomination ST EMILY McMANAMY, Free Press Election official Marlene Phillips passes the time between voters by reading a book at the Integrated Arts Academy at H.O. Wheeler School in Burlington on Tuesday.

Voter turnout holds steady By Candace Page Free Press Staff Writer Sen. Patrick Leahy, easily won his party's nomination for a seventh term Tuesday, defeating political newcomer Daniel Freilich of Wilmington. With a third of precincts reporting at, about 9:30 p.m., Leahy was winning nearly 90 percent of the vote. Freilich, a 47-year-old physician, has filed papers to run as an independent in November. Republican Senate candidate Len Brit-ton was unopposed Tuesday.

"You know, the whole national story this year has been that incumbents are all in trouble, but Vermont-ers pick and choose. They decide if someone is doing the job," Leahy said Tuesday night. "I'm humbled to win a higher percentage than I expected in an anti-incumbent year." He said during the fall campaign he'll talk about the many high-tech jobs he's been able to bring to Vermont, about his success in toughening criminal penalties in the recent financial reform bill and his other work as chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Freilich said Tuesday night that he had not expected to win the primary. "We wanted to establish a framework as a springboard for Nov.

2. That will be a very different election," he said. "I am run- turnout was solid. With only three-quarters of the precincts counted in the Democratic governor's race as of 11:15 p.m. more than 52,000 people had cast ballots.

The primary has been plagued by low turnout in past years only 8.5 percent of the state's registered voters filled out ballots two years ago. This year, the state primary was earlier than in past years because a new federal law, the Military and Overseas Voter Act, requires states to provide 45 days before a general election for ballots to be sent overseas and back. Vermont officials -1 1 1 U.S. SENATE ning on some very basic values term limits, no special interest money, putting country ahead of party that are important to independents and centrist Democrats and Republicans." Freilich made special interest campaign contributions a central issue, arguing that "acceptance of special interest money is the basic building block of the inequity of political power in our political system." He urged Leahy to decline political action committee contributions, a challenge the senator did not accept. Britton, who had said he would not take PAC money, reversed himself Tuesday saying he will now accept those contributions.

Britton's campaign reported a $79,083 debt earlier this month. He said rejecting PAC donations was "a political outsider's mistake." Other candidates on the ballot in November are: Stephen Cain, independent; Peter Diamondstone, Socialist or Liberty Union parties; Cris Ericson, United States Marijuana Party; Johenry Nunes, independent; and Rick Russell, Working Families Party. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Candace Page at 660-1865 or cpage bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com. BURLINGTON ering the estimated $50,000 cost of the study.

Bob Vaughn, UVM's director of capital planning and management, said test borings were taken in the grandstand Monday to determine the soundness of the structure. He said the company is expected to finish filling in the borings today. "It will be a couple of weeks before the conditions will be analyzed," Vaughn said. The study is part of an llth-hour effort by federal, state and local officials to try to ensure professional baseball remains in Vermont. The Lake Monsters compete in the New York-Penn By Matt Sutkoski and Lynn Monty Free Press Staff Writers In an unpredictable Vermont primary election, one of the most difficult things to forecast was how many voters would actually show up at the polls.

As balloting unfolded Tuesday, anecdotal reports from polling places throughout the day painted a mixed picture of turnout. Some municipal clerks said the stream of voters to ballot boxes was slow but relatively steady. A few places were busy. As votes were counted Tuesday night, it appeared 1 -1 irw Ik urn TO Engineers study Centennial Fields structural said that if they had stuck with Sept. 14 as the primary date, it wouldn't have allowed enough time to get ballots printed, into the hands of overseas voters and back for counting.

This being August, however, observers feared turnout might lag as voters focused on the last throes of summer vacation, not political campaigns. Vermont state officials and some candidates tried to get word out to voters about the date change. The Vermont Secretary of State's Office mailed notices to See TURNOUT, 3B opment contract between the Nationals and Burlington businessman Ray Pecor is due to expire in September. Pecor has held a contract for 17 years, initially with the Montreal Expos and more recently with the Nationals. Pecor has said he fears Major League Baseball will tell him to move the team out of Vermont if the dilapidated Centennial Field isn't rejuvenated or if a new stadium is needed in Chittenden County.

Studies for the commissioner of Major League Baseball in recent years have shown serious defects with the park, including unsafe conditions for players and fans. They include an unle-vel playing field, poor lighting and substandard club LT. GOVERNOR Democratic Primary 2 1 2 of 260 precincts Christopher Bray 20,211 -47 percent Steve Howard 22,671 53 percent GOP Primary 212 of 260 precincts Phil Scott percent Mark Snelling 9,670 44 percent Progressive Primary 209 of 260 precincts Marjorie Power 180-69 percent Boots Wardinski 79-31 percent integrity houses, dugouts and bullpens. The Nationals announced Monday that they had reached two-year extensions on their player development contract with the Harrisburg (Pa.) Senators, an affiliate since 1991 in the Class AA Eastern League. The Senators play in the Metro Bank Stadium, which completed a $45-millon renovation in the off-season.

The announcement came one day after the Nationals said it had a two-year extension with its Class AAA affiliate, the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League Contact Mike Donoghue at 660-1845 or To have Free Press headlines delivered free to your e-mail, sign up at www.burlingtonfreepress.com newsletters. BURLINGTON FURNITURE COMPANY 1 7 By Mike Donoghue Free Press Staff Writer An engineering study of the Centennial Field grandstand at the University of Vermont to help determine the feasibility of the aging stadium's ability to remain home to professional baseball is under way. Engineering Ventures spent Monday and Tuesday on preliminary work in advance of the Vermont Lake Monsters' return home today to begin their final three-game home stand of the regular season. UVM, as landlord; the Lake Monsters, as the primary tenant; the city of Burlington and a private donor, both with interests in having professional baseball retained in Vermont, are cov- 'V' GLENN RUSSELL, tree Press Keith Gingue, an engineering technician with Engineering Ventures of Burlington, fills a hole drilled into the concrete of Centennial Field on Tuesday. About a dozen samples of concrete were taken to be studied as part of the complex's efforts to remain certified as the home of the Lake Monsters.

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