Barre native Donald Koch joins Washington Senate race

June 6, 2024 | By Donald Koch

Washington Senate District Republican primary candidate Donald Koch of Barre. Courtesy photo

I am a lifelong Vermonter, born and raised in Barre Town. I am an Eagle Scout from the former Troop 95 (now Troop 1) in Barre. I am an active member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church (E.L.C.A.) in Montpelier where I am an active lay leader, often chanting the liturgy, or singing for festival services. I graduated in 1993 from Spaulding High School in Barre and in 1997 from Johnson State College (now Vermont State University) with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in music. I attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary) and explored a call to rostered ministry before being led back to Vermont, leading to my current work as a truck driver and business owner, running my own independent trucking company. While I have mostly enjoyed that career for the last 20 years, I am now called back to my family farm in East Barre, and to service to the community.  

The current state of affairs in Montpelier under the Democrat supermajority is driving costs up and businesses and people out of state. Our highways and bridges are a disaster and our education financing methodology is flawed at the core. While I recognize that we can and should be better stewards of our environment, we need to balance our actions with our financial resources and our lifestyles. We are not Los Angeles, and California should not be dictating our environmental policies. We, the people of Vermont, should be deciding what is best for us, rather than people who don’t represent us.  

I believe in law and order for all. I support our police and reject any and all attempts to defund the police. I believe that current progressive policies are crippling the ability of police and the court system to enforce our laws effectively. I believe that repeat offenders and those who violate their conditions should be held, rather than being continually released subject to the condition “they not violate their conditions.” We need a constitutional amendment to enable the courts to end “catch and release.” Constitutional amendments can only originate in the Senate and if I am elected, I will introduce a constitutional amendment to fix our bail laws—something our current three senators have neglected to do. 

I am a supporter of the 2nd Amendment, and as your senator, I will only support bills that support and enhance our rights. I believe it’s time to stop focusing on “gun violence” but rather the causes of “violence.”  

I believe in the sanctity of the Constitution, not just the parts I agree with, but ALL of it. 

Finally, I believe our elected officials work for the people, and should keep their constituents informed about the issues and their activities. Legislators should be seeking input from their constituents and listening to their concerns. Legislators should not be mere rubber stamps on the party agenda, but rather faithful stewards who represent all of their constituents, not just special interests and their own party.

Barre resident Donald Koch is a Republican primary candidate for the Washington Senate district covering Washington County and the towns of Stowe, Orange and Braintree.