Esther Charlestin will face incumbent Gov. Phil Scott in November.
Charlestin, of Middlebury, is a small business owner, co-chair of the Vermont Commission on Women, and a former Middlebury Select Board member. She appears to be the first Black woman to secure a major party’s nomination for governor, the state’s top leadership role.
Charlestin ran against Peter Duval of Underhill — a sailing instructor, substitute teacher, and a former Underhill Select Board member. Duval ran for governor as an independent in 2022.
The Associated Press called the race for Charlestin with just 5% of the vote counted.
Scott, who is serving his fourth term as governor, ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Incumbent Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman of Hinesburg fended off a challenge in the Democratic primary and will face Republican John Rodgers in November. Rodgers is a former Democratic state senator and state representative from West Glover.
In this year's primary there are also several closely-watched legislative primaries where incumbents are defending their seats.
That includes the Democratic primary in the Windham-7 district. Incumbent Rep. Emilie Kornheiser won against farmer Amanda Ellis-Thurber. Kornheiser has served in the Legislature since 2019. The Brattleboro resident is the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, and played a key role in the property tax debate at the Statehouse this year. She made national news earlier this year when she sponsored two bills that would place new taxes on wealthy people. Taxes were a key issue in the primary race against Ellis-Thurber. Kornheiser will face Republican Susan Murray in November.
More: Vermont voters showed up to the 2024 primary election with big issues on their minds
Incumbent Democratic Sens. Ruth Hardy and Chris Bray faced a contested primary for the two seats in the county and won. Democratic Rep. Caleb Elder, who currently represents the Addison-4 district, was unable to unseat one of them in the primary. Elder told VTDigger that he jumped in the race because he believed that House leadership had shut him out of the legislative process, and he believed he could be more effective as a member of the Senate. Hardy and Bray will face Republicans Steven Heffernan of Bristol and Landel Cochran of Huntington in November, who beat Lesley Bienvenue of Leicester in Tuesday’s GOP primary.
All three of the incumbent senators in the Senate Chittenden-Central Democratic primary are heading to the general election.
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth and first time Sens. Tanya Vyhovsky and Martine Gulick fought off a challenge by longtime NBC5 TV newsperson Stewart Ledbetter. (Ledbetter also hosted Vermont Public's "Vermont This Week" between 2007 and 2023.) The campaign was closely watched and well-funded: Ledbetter raised $58,039, according to a campaign finance report filed on Aug. 1. By comparison as of Aug. 1, Baruth raised $14,125, Vyhovsky raised $18,573, and Gulick brought in $22,536.
The winners in the Republican, Progressive and Democratic primaries will appear on the general election ballot in November.
Note: Only contested races are included in the results below. The state's unofficial primary results for all 180 legislative seats, plus all statewide offices, will be available at electionresults.vermont.gov.
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