Primary Day in Vermont has come and gone, and now the stage is set for the general election in November. The primary results include both statewide and local positions. Vermont Public's political reporter Bob Kinzel broke down the results, and what they tell us about the next phase of election season.
We were joined by the party chairs for Vermont’s three major political parties - David Glidden of the Vermont Democratic Party, Paul Dame of the Vermont Republican Party, and Josh Wronski from the Vermont Progressive Party.
Democrat-turned-Republican John Rodgers snagged the republican nomination for Vermont Lieutenant Governor. Dame said that the race will be a litmus test for Vermonters.
"It's not just that Vermonters are looking for moderation," Dame said. "But even the Republicans who get involved in primaries are looking for a middle-of-the-road common sense approach."
Incumbent Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman was voted as the Democratic nominee but was also endorsed by the Vermont Progressive Party. Zuckerman identifies as a Progressive Democrat. Wronski said they've had fusion candidates for over a decade to build better relations with Democratic primary voters.
"[We] want to avoid situations where you have three-way races and a Republican gets elected because a Democrat and Progressive split the vote," Wronksi said.
On the night of the primary, the Windham County Democrats and the Democratic Party released a statement alleging potential election interference y. Guilford residents received letters in the mail with fake "Town of Guildford" labels on them that claimed a local candidate and select board chair was guilty of criminal activity and election fraud.
"It's concerning that that mailer was made to look as though it was official municipal correspondence, which is incredibly unethical," Glidden said.
Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas says it's par for the course in small-town politics.
The general election will be held on Tuesday, November 5th.
Broadcast live on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
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