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Explore our coverage of government and politics.

Progressive Gubernatorial Primary Race 2020: Boots Wardinski

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Boots Wardinski is running as one of two candidates on the Progressive primary ballot for governor.

Boots Wardinski is running in the Progressive primary for governor, facing Cris Ericson on the ballot. Ericson has declined VPR's request for an interview. The Progressive Party meanwhile, has endorsed David Zuckerman, who's running on the Democratic ballot.

VPR’s Henry Epp spoke with Boots Wardinski, and their interview below has been condensed and edited for clarity. VPR is seeking interviews with all of the candidates for governor.

Find VPR's Vermont Primary 2020 coverage here.

Boots Wardinski lives in Newbury and has run for office, for either statewide or legislative positions, in most election cycles since 1990, but never won. So Henry Epp asked Wardinski why he's running again.

Boots Wardinski: Primarily, it's to give people a choice other than the two – and I consider the Progressives and the Democrats one party – so more than two choices in an election. I'm actually a member of Liberty Union Party, and we're a minor party, and don't have a primary. So this gives me an opportunity to get my name out there and a little bit of publicity for Liberty Union.

Henry Epp: What’s the motivation for you? I mean, so you want to give people a choice, but I guess to do it in nearly every election cycle, dating back 30 years, I'm just curious where the motivation comes from?

I like to be in the public eye, and I like to promote my and Liberty Union's values and positions. Liberty Union is an anti-war party. We feel that needs to be discussed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Black Americans around the country and here in Vermont. And Black people are also disproportionately imprisonedin Vermont. How would you address racial inequity in Vermont if you're elected governor?

One of the things that I think is particularly important is that we somehow institute a guaranteed minimum income for all people, especially Black people. And people of color are disproportionately poor and don't have the resources to have good food, good clothing and good housing. Income distribution and a change in the tax policies would go a long way in helping correct that problem.

Well, to turn to another issue that's sort of central to the governorship right now, and to the state – the state is in the midst of the public health crisis of COVID-19 … and the economic fallout from the shutdown that's continued. Why should Vermonters turn to a new leader, in your view, at a time when the state is dealing with some pretty enormous issues?

Well, because I would try to institute policies that give people a better chance to live a decent life through income distribution and restructuring of the tax system in this state.

But so, I mean, relative to the coronavirus pandemic specifically, I mean, how would you go about addressing the public health issues that have gone on in the last few months and the continued response to a pandemic?

Well, we'd have to have socialized medicine, free health care for everyone that would be funded through not fee-for-service or insurance companies, premiums and policies, but through a single-payer, through the state.

More from VPR: Vermont's 2020 Primary Election Is Like No Other. Here's What You Need To Know

I want to turn to another issue, climate change. A poll conducted by VPR and Vermont PBS earlier this year showed a split over the state's response to climate change: 39% of respondents to that poll thought that the state was doing enough to combat climate change. But another 39% thought the state is not. Do you feel like Vermont is doing enough to address climate change right now?

Probably not. I mean, I'm not really up on what's going on in the state. I mean, one of the things that we don't have much of is public transportation. And the more extensive public transportation system would go a long way in reducing the use of automobiles. But I don't think much of what we do in this state is going to have much of an effect on climate change.

Primarily, what we should be doing, not so much addressing climate change in terms of electric cars and solar and but, you know, consuming less, traveling less is what we need to do. And also address population and increase in population of people like us who consume so much.

How would you address that?

Well, I would fund public transportation.

But in terms of the population issue, I mean, how would you address that?

Well, I would offer free vasectomies to all males who wanted them. But if people chose not to have children, they would get funds of some certain amount for not having children.

Many people have said we are facing a demographic crisis in that, the state is aging, and that to fund the government, to keep services going, many are calling for the opposite, wanting for more young families and children,to be here in Vermont.

Right.

You don't see that as an issue?

No, not a particularly serious one. We have to do more to educate our population, so that they can function in an economy here and not have to go somewhere else.

More from VPR: Progressive Party Asks For Write-In To Beat Gubernatorial Candidates On Its Ballot

I just want to circle back to where we started, which is your motivations for running for office. Do you feel like you've made any progress in getting your message out over the years, in the many times you've run as a Liberty Union candidate and in other primaries? Do you feel like you've made progress there?

No, because I don't see any change going in the direction that I would like to see us go.

So I guess I'm just trying to get down to why it is you want to run for governor, rather than advocating for these issues through other means, through getting in touch with legislators or protesting and other activities, that might get these messages out in different ways.

Well, I've done protesting, and [been] arrested several times for that. But the fact that you're calling me and it's going to be on your radio station is, I think, a more effective way than contacting legislators.

Do you have an interest in serving if you were to win governor or any of the other seats you've run for over the years?

Oh, yeah. Yup. I'm not optimistic that I'm going to win. But, you know, nobody thought Donald Trump would win either. Most people didn't. He didn't. Not that I'm equating myself to Donald Trump. Please don't make that mistake.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or tweet host Henry Epp @TheHenryEpp

We've closed our comments. Read about ways to get in touch here.

A thin grey line.

Vermont’s primary election is on Aug. 11, so VPR is reaching out to candidates in contested races for governor, lieutenant governor and the U.S. House to find out why they're seeking to serve, and where they stand on the issues of the day. Find our full coverage here.

Henry worked for Vermont Public as a reporter from 2017 to 2023.
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