Auditor Tom Salmon considering run for US Senate against Sanders

State Auditor Tom Salmon released the following statement yesterday announcing that he is forming an exploratory committee to consider a campaign for US Senate against Senator Bernard Sanders. Re-elected last November to a post he originally won as a Democrat, the now Republican has already announced he will not seek another term as state auditor.
‘Our nation is in crisis. Millions of Americans face prolonged underemployment, unemployment, and despair. From Washington to Wisconsin we see the effects of poor planning and lots of unproductive blame. Here in Vermont, teachers are on the verge of a strike in some parts and paying property taxes has never been more difficult. America’s decades long spending binge has reached a tipping point. As an auditor and accountant, I understand that our economic survival is threatened by the massive deficits and debt we are accumulating. As a father, I understand it is my generation’s responsibility to solve these problems now so that ours is not the first generation of Americans to leave to our children a country weaker, less prosperous and less hopeful than the one we inherited.
"I understand that a campaign against an incumbent like Senator Sanders is no easy task. At the same time, I believe that no one is entitled to reelection year after year after year. No one is entitled to any office. Democracy only works when our elected officials are held accountable each and every election cycle through vigorous debate, an airing of the facts, and an examination of the record.
"Over the next several weeks, I will consider more formally whether or not I can make a positive difference, whether running for the Senate is right for my family, and whether Vermonters are eager for fresh leadership, new ideas, and a different approach to finding solutions. Also, the next few months will see my family undergo changes as a son departs for the Air Force and a Daughter graduates from High School."
Tom Salmon, 47, is the three-term Vermont Auditor of Accounts, a statewide elected position. He is a certified public accountant and licensed teacher, and an E6 in the US Navy (Seabees) Reserves who served in Iraq in 2008-2009. He lives in St Johnsbury with his wife, Leslie, and their four children.