Potential Vt. candidates weigh options for November

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont lawmakers are about one-third of the way through the legislative session, and while property taxes and other issues are taking up a lot of oxygen at the Statehouse, it’s also an election year that has candidates behind the scenes considering there future political plans.

In the leadup to the August primaries, all eyes are on Republican Governor Phil Scott and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders.

“Beneath them, there are lots of healthy, skilled horses in the starting gate that are eager to move up,” said Kevin Ellis, a political consultant and longtime Statehouse observer.

Congresswoman Becca Balint, Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman, Treasurer Mike Pieciak, and soon-to-be former Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger are among those widely seen to be considering their political moves this year.

Gov. Scott, who is in his fourth term, sees himself — and his veto power — as the last line against the Democratic super-majority’s spending largesse. “He enjoys broad base support and any candidate regardless of their record or experience is going to have a difficult time challenging Governor Scott should he seek re-election,” said Dennise Case, a political consultant who worked for Governor Jim Douglas. She says that includes a potential challenge from Weinberger.

Casey and Ellis suspect Scott and Sanders will seek another term, potentially adding to a logjam of mostly Democratic candidates waiting in the wings in the Vermont House and Senate. “It’s important to be careful about not making your intentions too concrete in case you need to pivot or change course, either to run for the office you currently hold or to pursue another one,” Casey said.

Issues like property taxes and education spending could turn into a political liability on the campaign trail. “When these lawmakers go home for town meeting, they are going to hear about this education property tax in a big way and they are going to have to do something about it,” Ellis said.

Democrats at the Statehouse control the most seats in recent history. While Casey suspects the property tax problem won’t shift the balance of power, she says changing attitudes toward education could mean some lawmakers step back and others on local school and selectboards step in. “What it may well lead to is a new cohort of House and Senate members with differing views of policies, especially around the economy,” she said.

The Vermont primary election is on August 13.

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