Editor’s note: This commentary is by Brad Peacock, of Shaftsbury, who is an independent candidate for U.S. Senate in November. He is a farmer at Clear Brook Farm in Shaftsbury, where he was born, raised and has spent most of his life. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a graduate of the University of Vermont.
[T]hroughout much of my childhood, my family was in and out of poverty. Like many families in our state, we faced constant struggles to pay the bills, heat the house, put food on the table and keep the lights on. I can’t help but remember that cold winter’s night my family ran out of heating fuel. My mother gathered us kids into the kitchen, closed off the rest of the house and we all huddled around the open door of the oven to stay warm. I was born and raised in Vermont, and I know the resourcefulness it takes for most families to survive here. It is not always the easiest life, but it is a special place where we take pride in our environment, and cherish the small town values that bind us together, neighbors above all else. We are neighbors who lift each other up in times of need, who look out for, and take care of one another. These are the Vermont values that have shaped my life. I am running for the U.S. Senate to help preserve our communities, our environment, and to advocate for all working families of our state.
Yet one of the most frequent questions I have been asked since announcing my candidacy is: Why are you running against Bernie Sanders? It is sad that our politics have become so divisive, where battle lines are drawn in an us versus them mentality. I would like to be clear: I am not running against Sen. Sanders; I am running for the seat he currently holds. This is our democracy at work. I am sure Sen. Sanders faced the same question when he decided to run against Hillary Clinton, or when he ran his very first political campaign as a U.S. Senate candidate in 1971. I see myself as answering his call for a younger generation to take up the progressive causes he has championed throughout his years in Congress. I have nothing but respect and admiration for all Sen. Sanders has done for our state and country and would be honored to implement the agenda of a President Sanders, should he run and win the presidency in 2020. As a young Vermont farmer who will be living in the world our current leaders are creating, I would like a representative voice in how our future is being decided.
I do not have the pedigree of most politicians. I am a farmer by trade, I was born into poverty, and there were periods of time my family utilized public assistance when I was growing up. I worked to put myself through school and still racked up over $50,000 in college debt. I cannot afford to finance my own campaign, and I do not have a safety net to fall back on. I will continue to farm as I run for this seat since, like most of you, I have to work for every dollar I earn in order to pay the bills. I am running this grassroots campaign from the bottom up without financial backing from any major party, corporation or super PAC, just good old-fashioned hard work and dedication with the help and generosity of many others seeking a change. Lastly, I do not come to the table with Washington experience. I step into the arena with the real life experience of overcoming the many obstacles of poverty and discrimination, and knowing what it truly takes for many families to make a life here.
I will run a campaign that all Vermonters can be proud of, and I encourage other young people to consider running for office, no matter how big a hurdle it may seem, no matter who your opponent may be. Now is the time for a new generation of independent politicians to stand up and create coalitions willing to compromise and develop a 21st century economy that works for all people. Now is the time for independent thinkers of all parties to rebuild our country and reinvent our politics by lifting one another up, implementing campaign finance reform, and preserving and investing in essential programs that benefit our communities and families. Now is the time for real change: Our leaders are failing us. It is time to send the message that we are done with the rhetoric of the last century, and we are ready for common sense solutions on health care, climate change, student loan debt, racial justice, civil rights and immigration. It is time for action to move this state and country forward. This is our future, now is our time. My pledge to the people of the state is this: I will never forget where I came from, the Vermont values I live by, or who I am fighting for. Please check out our campaign page at peacockforsenate.com for more information.
Correction: Peacock is running in the election this November.
