Jim Douglas was elected governor in 2002. Just days before the election polls showed his opponent, then-Lt. Gov. Douglas Racine, the likely victor. But an aggressive campaign headed by a young staff ended up giving Douglas a relatively comfortable victory.

He was re-elected in 2004 with 59 percent of the vote, easily defeating the then-mayor of Burlington. In 2006, he easily defeated Democrat Scudder Parker, a former state senator, garnering 56 percent of the vote to Parker's 41 percent.

In 2008, Douglas won re-election with 53 percent of the vote. Democratic challenger Gaye Symington and independent challenger Anthony Pollina each took 22 percent.

Jim Douglas served seven years in the state House, 12 years as secretary of state and eight years as treasurer.

He ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 1992, losing to incumbent Patrick Leahy.

(Last updated by John Curran on March 23, 2009.)

Patrick Leahy was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1974, with 50 percent of the vote in defeating Republican Rep. Richard W. Mallary and Liberty Union Party candidate Bernard Sanders. Republican Sen. George D. Aiken retired instead of seeking re-election that year.

Leahy was re-elected in 1980, with 50 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Stewart M. Ledbetter, a financial consultant and a former banking and insurance commissioner.

Leahy was re-elected in 1986, with 63 percent of the vote, defeating former Republican Gov. Richard A. Snelling. He won re-election to the U.S. Senate in 1992 with 55 percent of the vote, defeating Republican James Douglas.

In 1998, Leahy defeated Republican Fred Tuttle with 72 percent of the vote. He was re-elected in 2004 with 71 percent of the vote, beating Republican Jack McMullen.

(Last updated by Sam Hananel on May 8, 2009.)

Bernie Sanders won election to the Senate in a landslide in 2006, garnering 65 percent of the vote to 32 percent for Republican businessman Richard Tarrant in a race in which Tarrant outspent Sanders, pouring more than $6.8 million into the campaign.

Sanders ran unsuccessfully for governor of Vermont in 1972, 1976 and 1986. He also made failed runs for the U.S. Senate in 1970 and 1974 before winning in 2006. He was elected mayor of Burlington in 1981 and was re-elected in 1983, 1985 and 1987.

In 1986, Sanders entered the Vermont gubernatorial race and picked up enough votes to deny Democrat Madeleine M. Kunin the required majority, throwing the race into the Legislature, where she won.

Sanders was elected to the U.S. House in 1990 with 56 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Peter Smith. He was re-elected in 1992 with 58 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Lewis Young and Republican Tim Philbin.

He was re-elected in 1994, defeating Republican John Carroll with 50 percent of the vote. In 1996, he was re-elected with 55 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Susan Sweetser and Democrat Jack Long.

Sanders was re-elected in 1998, defeating Republican Mark Candon with 64 percent of the vote.

In 2000, Sanders captured 69 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Karen Kerin. He won 64 percent of the vote in 2002, defeating Republican Bill Meub. He was re-elected in 2004 with 68 percent of the vote.

(Last updated by Sam Hananel on May 8, 2009.)