Vermont Democrats Face Off in Primary Against Phil Scott
- Two Democrats will compete in Vermont's state primary election.
- The winner will challenge four-term Republican Governor Phil Scott in the November election.
- The primary represents a significant political contest in the state as Democrats seek to unseat the incumbent.
Vermont voters are gearing up for a series of primaries, including the race for lieutenant governor and various contested positions within the state legislature. Current lieutenant governor Scott is running unopposed for the Republican nomination, having previously supported Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 election. The Republican primary for lieutenant governor features John Rodgers and Gregory Thayer, both vying for the nomination. Rodgers, who has a history of serving as a Democrat in the state legislature for 16 years, previously ran for lieutenant governor in 2022 but lost the primary. He has publicly stated that he will not support Donald Trump in the upcoming election. In contrast, Thayer has shown strong support for Trump, having participated as a delegate at the Milwaukee convention and attending the January 6 Capitol riot, where he advocated for overturning the election results. All state legislative seats are up for election, with only a limited number of primaries featuring more candidates than available slots. The Associated Press will monitor and report on the results of the contested primaries for governor, lieutenant governor, and state legislative positions. In the 2022 midterm primaries, voter turnout was approximately 27% of registered voters. The AP will declare winners in races that meet the criteria for a recount, provided the lead is substantial enough to suggest the outcome is unlikely to change. As the primaries approach, candidates are strategizing to secure their positions in a heavily Democratic state.