This year's field for Lieutenant Governor is almost as crowded as the gubernatorial race. Three Democrats are running in the primary for the right to face Republican Randy Brock in November.
We start three days of looking at the Democratic field by talking to House Speaker Shap Smith of Morristown.
Smith discusses his plans for stimulating the state's economy, health care, education funding, affordable higher education, and tax reform.
Plus, Vermont Health Department epidemiologist Patsy Kelso educates us on what tuberculosis is and how it's monitored in the state.
Shap Smith on why he wants to be lieutenant governor:
"Well, there are a number of reasons that I think I'd like to be lieutenant governor and I think I would be an effective lieutenant governor. One, I will bring the experience that I've gained as Speaker of the House. I've presided over the House for eight years. I've spent a lot of time learning the personalities within the Legislature and within the building, and bringing people together to address really difficult issues, like marriage equality, renewable energy, school governance reform, all of those kind of things.
"Two, I think that the office can be used to bring people from outside of the building together with the people inside the building to address really difficult issues that Vermont still faces. Issues like childhood poverty and early childhood education, downtown redevelopment and economic development in general. And issues like health care, which you know, we've really made some efforts there, but we have a long way to go. And from personal experience, I can tell you that the care in Vermont is phenomenal - trying to figure out how to pay for it, not so much. It's a very difficult and fragmented financing system and we still really need to get control over [it]. I think that the skills I've learned over the years and gained over the years, will make me a very effective lieutenant governor."
This is an excerpt quote. The full interview with Shap Smith can be listened to above.
Live tweet of the interview with Shap Smith:
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Broadcast live on Wednesday, July 6, 2016, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
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