Gov. Scott aims to be ‘voice’ of moderate Vermonters as he navigates party of Trump

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – The legislative session is in the rearview mirror and Vermont campaign season is ramping up. But as Republican Governor Phil Scott pushes for more political balance at the Democratically-controlled Statehouse, experts say he has to thread a fine needle.

The dust from a whirlwind legislative session is beginning to settle and Governor Phil Scott, who announced his reelection plans this past weekend, once again finds himself at an electoral crossroads.

“Somebody needs to be there to be the voice of Vermonters, and right now, I think we’re so out of balance that we’re not hearing from everyone,” Scott said Wednesday.

And for the first time in a long time, Scott is engaging his own party. He’ll be speaking at the Vermont Republican Party Presidential & Platform Convention on Saturday alongside vice presidential hopeful North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

While other moderate Republicans like New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu have lined up behind Trump, Scott has not. He says his appearance at the GOP event does not tie him to the former president. “Even if my good friend Doug Burgum becomes a VP candidate, I won’t be supportive of the ticket,” Scott said.

Scott critics like Vermont Democratic Party Chair Jim Dandeneau aren’t buying it. “He can reach out to moderate Democrats all he wants but when his first pitch for his reelection campaign is going to come standing alongside Doug Burgum, the Republican governor from North Dakota who signed one of the strictest abortion bans in the county, signed one of the most restrictive anti-trans bills in the county and is coming to Vermont fresh off his stop outside of Donald Trump’s trial. I don’t know how that’s going to land with folks,” Dandeneau said.

Previous polls have shown Scott wins by wide margins because he consistently draws support from Democrats. But Dandeneau says that cross-party support could be slipping away because of Scott’s positions on issues like education and the environment, and that’s why he’s courting Republican voters. “He’s not going to turn to Democrats to bail him out of problems he’s created for himself, he’s going to turn to Republicans,” Dandeneau said.

Scott says he hopes to challenge the supermajority in Montpelier by recruiting more like-minded candidates, not just Republicans but fiscally conservative Democrats and Independents who would sustain his vetoes. GOP leaders are also trying to recruit more moderates.

“We’re building a coalition that we think can support Governor Scott when he does need to veto those things that are crossing the line and are not helpful for Vermonters,” said Vermont Republican Party Chair Paul Dame.

Matt Dickinson, a political science professor at Middlebury College says that in Scott’s quest for balance at the Statehouse, he has to weigh recruiting from a party dominated by Trump with also not alienating Democratic supporters. “The risk is the moderate image he’s cultivated, one that’s premised in part by being one the first governors to reject Trump, can be tarnished,” he said.

At the same time, all eyes in Democratic circles are on former Governor Howard Dean, who has said he’s exploring another run. The deadline to file for the August primaries is in about two weeks.

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