Democrats in Vermont are gearing up for their sixth attempt to unseat the state’s popular Republican Governor, Phil Scott. Amanda Janoo, an economist, recently won the Democratic nomination by defeating Aly Richards, the former CEO of a child advocacy organization. Richards had support from former Democratic governors Howard Dean and Madeleine Kunin.
Governor Phil Scott, who faced no opposition, easily secured the GOP nomination. He is seeking a sixth two-year term as Vermont’s governor. If successful, Scott will surpass Howard Dean as the state’s longest-serving governor. Vermont and New Hampshire both hold gubernatorial elections every two years.
Scott’s moderate stance often puts him at odds with more conservative Republicans. He has been openly critical of former President Donald Trump.
Scott endorsed Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador, in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries. He also voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump in the general election of that year.
Defeating Scott in the upcoming election poses a significant challenge for the Democrats, despite the state’s usual Democratic leanings. Scott secured an impressive 73% of the vote in his 2024 re-election, improving upon his 69% winner share in 2022.