OAN Staff Sophia Flores and Brooke Mallory
4:45 PM – Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Phil Scott has won Vermont’s Gubernatorial race.
Democrat Esther Charlestin faced off against Republican incumbent Phil Scott to be the next governor of the Green Mountain State.
Scott has been the governor of Vermont since 2017. Prior to becoming governor, he was a representative for the Washington District in the Vermont Senate from 2001 until 2011. Later, he was the lieutenant governor from 2011 until 2017.
According to his website, Scott is “focused on growing the economy, making Vermont more affordable, and protecting the most vulnerable.”
Scott was chosen as the 79th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont in 2010. In order to make sure he was hearing from the companies that are essential to Vermont’s economy, he started the Everyday Jobs Initiative and Vermont Economy Pitch sessions while serving as lieutenant governor.
Following Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, Phil coordinated the evacuation and disposal of mobile homes that had been devastated by the water throughout the state, all without charging homeowners or using public funds.
“I believe too many families and employers are on the economic edge. For them to thrive and our state to prosper we must revitalize the fundamentals of a strong, healthy economy that expands the middle class, lifts wages, and attracts working families, entrepreneurs and new jobs,” Scott stated.
“It is time for Vermont to move forward, beginning with a change in the Governor’s office…I will be a steady hand at the helm, provide balanced leadership that values listening, stand up for working families and confront our crisis of affordability in meaningful ways. Practical leadership that is in touch with the needs of everyday families and small businesses will rebuild faith and trust in government and move Vermont forward in very positive ways,” he concluded.
Charlestin, who is looking to unseat Scott, is an educator and former select board member from Middlebury, Vermont.
Charlestin’s campaign website describes her as “a dedicated educator, a devoted working mom, and a Vermonter by choice,” as “the eldest child of immigrant parents, she witnessed firsthand the virtues of hard work and the American dream, manifested by a mother who worked 80-hour weeks to provide for Esther and her siblings.”
She promises to provide “sustainable education systems and affordable childcare for all,” “available housing and livability,” and “climate resilience & a just energy transition.”
Charlestin has been endorsed by Charity Clark, Vermont’s attorney general, and the state’s former governor, Howard Dean.
On her official campaign website, she states, “Vermont is at a crossroads, and we need a leader with a strong vision. Vermonters deserve sustainable education systems, accessible housing and livability, and strong leadership to become a climate-resilient state with a just energy transition. Esther has experienced these hardships firsthand and is acutely aware of the necessity for real, effective solutions.”
At the time of this reporting, Scott won with 76.6% of the vote compared to Charlestin’s 19.5%.
All results are based on information provided by Reuters.