By Jasper Craven, VTDigger.org
Dr. Louis Meyers, a Rutland physician, intends to mount a campaign for lieutenant governor as an independent.
“This is my first foray into politics, and obviously it would be considered a long shot,” Meyers told VTDigger in an interview last week. “I see this as a win for me even if I don’t win the election, because I love learning about Vermonters,” he added.
Meyers has a barebones campaign website, but he has not filed the necessary paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office. He said he is in the process of finding a campaign manager and that his campaign would likely be publicly financed. He said he would develop policy proposals over the coming months, but singled out a number of issues, including job creation and health care and criminal justice reforms.
Meyers, 60, joined the staff at Rutland Regional Medical Center this year, according to the hospital’s website. Meyers said he has lived in Vermont full-time for three years and that he previously lived in Alexandria, Virginia.
Meyers portrayed himself as a true independent, praising the work of Republican lieutenant governor Phil Scott and Democratic governor Peter Shumlin.
Meyers supported Governor Shumlin’s effort on single-payer health care. “Single payer has a lot of positives, but having been in private practice I do have some concern about how much single payer will dictate how medicine is delivered,” he said.
Meyers said he would continue practicing internal medicine throughout the campaign.
In a letter to Kathy Hall, chair of the Rutland County Democrats, Meyers said he began his campaign six weeks ago, and that he has visited hundreds of homes in communities around the state.
“I believe that having lived and worked for many years in Northern Virginia gives me a perspective which is valuable,” Meyers wrote. “In particular. I have watched Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe move aggressively to recruit businesses — both American and foreign — to Virginia.”
While Meyers is virtually unknown in the state, so is Democrat Brandon Riker, who has also announced a run for the state’s No. 2 political office. Republican Randy Brock also announced his intention to run for the post earlier this month.
Meyers described how he would work in the office should be elected, saying the goal of a lieutenant governor is “having an open door for Vermonters to bring their concerns and make sure the governor is aware of these issues.”
