Scott, incumbents victorious in Vermont statewide races

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Incumbent Republican Governor Phil Scott beat challenger Democrat Christine Hallquist 54.4 to 39.7 percent, according to unofficial results posted by the Secretary of State.Hallquist congratulated Phil Scott in her speech Tuesday night and said they "sparred well" during the campaign. She said, "I think we showed what good Democracy looks like." For his part, Scott thanked Hallquist "for energizing and running an historic capaign. While we didn't agree on many issues, we did agree from the start that this race would be about things we felt mattered to most of the people of Vermont." While other races in other states turned negative, Scott said, "We rose above it."

Map of Voting for Governor. Red-Scott; Blue-Hallquist. Source: Secretary of State.

Scott swept most areas of Vermont with the exception of Burlington (Hallquist 63.5 Percent), Windham County, the Middlebury area, Montpelier (Hallquist60.6 percent), Bennington (Hallquist44.1 percent to Scott 43.7 percent), and a few Upper Valley towns including Thetford.

All the statewide incumbents won, as expected, with a tight race for lieutenant governor never materializing, as David Zuckerman easily outpaced Don Turner.

The governor, who vetoed both state budgets he received in his first term, might have a more difficult time doing so going forward. Democrats and Progressives in the House now number at least 100, with some races pending, according to VTDigger.org. This would give Speaker Mitzi Johnson a "veto-proof" majority.

The state Senate remains a stronghold for Democrats. US Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch also won by wide margins, as did the rest of the statewide slate of incumbents: Secretary of State Jim Condos, Attorney General TJ Donovan, Auditor Doug Hoffer and Treasurer Beth Pearce. Scott is the only statewide Republican to win.

Stalwart Burlington Republican Kurt Wright lost his bid for re-election to the House and Democrats/Progressives swept again Chittenden County's Senate seats.

Governor Candidate Party Votes Percent
PHIL SCOTT REPUBLICAN 151,176 54.48%
 
 
CHRISTINE HALLQUIST DEMOCRATIC 110,277 39.74%
 
 
TREVOR BARLOW INDEPENDENT 3,259 1.17%
 
 
CHARLES LARAMIE INDEPENDENT 2,284 0.82%
 
 
CRIS ERICSON INDEPENDENT 2,123 0.77%
 
 
STEPHEN MARX EARTH RIGHTS 1,850 0.67%
 
 
EMILY "EM" PEYTON LIBERTY UNION 1,837 0.66%
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total Write-ins 1,165 0.42%
 
Overvotes 135 0.05%
 
Blank Votes 3,372 1.22%
 
Incumbent Winner Total votes cast 277,478  
Lieutenant Governor Candidate Party Votes Percent
DAVID ZUCKERMAN PROG/DEM 158,454 57.18%
 
 
DON TURNER JR REPUBLICAN 108,383 39.11%
 
 
MURRAY NGOIMA LIBERTY UNION 4,091 1.48%
 
 
Total Write-ins 262 0.09%
 
Overvotes 144 0.05%
 
Blank Votes 5,795 2.09%
 
Incumbent Winner Total votes cast 277,129  
Treasurer Candidate Party Votes Percent
BETH PEARCE DEMOCRATIC 179,428 64.87%
 
 
RICHARD MORTON REPUBLICAN 85,707 30.99%
 
 
 
Total Write-ins 197 0.07%
 
Overvotes 231 0.08%
 
Blank Votes 11,037 3.99%
 
Incumbent Winner Total votes cast 276,601  
Secretary of State Candidate Party Votes Percent
JIM CONDOS DEMOCRATIC 178,812 64.58%
 
 
H. BROOKE PAIGE REPUBLICAN 79,019 28.54%
 
 
MARY ALICE HEBERT LIBERTY UNION 9,669 3.49%
 
Total Write-ins 138 0.05%
 
Overvotes 208 0.08%
 
Blank Votes 9,046 3.27%
 
Incumbent Winner Total votes cast 276,892  
Auditor Candidate Party Votes Percent
DOUG HOFFER DEM/PROG 160,244 58.07%
 
 
RICHARD KENYON REPUBLICAN 88,004 31.89%
 
 
MARINA BROWN LIBERTY UNION 10,909 3.95%
 
Total Write-ins 143 0.05%
 
Overvotes 741 0.27%
 
Blank Votes 15,895 5.76%
 
Incumbent Winner Total votes cast 275,936  
Attorney General Candidate Party Votes Percent
T.J. DONOVAN DEMOCRATIC 187,044 67.56%
 
 
JANSSEN WILLHOIT REPUBLICAN 70,213 25.36%
 
 
ROSEMARIE JACKOWSKI LIBERTY UNION 9,509 3.43%
 
 
Total Write-ins 177 0.06%
 
Overvotes 243 0.09%
 
Blank Votes 9,659 3.49%
 
Incumbent Winner Total votes cast 276,845  
US Senate Candidate Party Votes Percent
BERNIE SANDERS INDEPENDENT 183,422 66.11%
 
 
LAWRENCE ZUPAN REPUBLICAN 74,636 26.90%
 
 
BRAD J. PEACOCK INDEPENDENT 3,782 1.36%
 
 
RUSSELL BESTE INDEPENDENT 2,758 0.99%
 
 
EDWARD S. GILBERT JR INDEPENDENT 2,240 0.81%
 
 
FOLASADE ADELUOLA INDEPENDENT 1,977 0.71%
 
 
JON SVITAVSKY INDEPENDENT 1,286 0.46%
 
 
REID KANE LIBERTY UNION 1,165 0.42%
 
 
BRUCE BUSA INDEPENDENT 912 0.33%
 
 
 
 
Total Write-ins 345 0.12%
 
Overvotes 314 0.11%
 
Blank Votes 4,588 1.65%
 
Congress Candidate Party Votes Percent
PETER WELCH DEMOCRATIC 188,487 67.94%
 
 
ANYA TYNIO REPUBLICAN 70,693 25.48%
 
 
CRIS ERICSON INDEPENDENT 9,088 3.28%
 
 
LAURA S. POTTER LIBERTY UNION 3,912 1.41%
 
 
 
Total Write-ins 201 0.07%
 
Overvotes 283 0.10%
 
Blank Votes 4,764 1.72%
 
Incumbent Winner Total votes cast 277,429