By Guy Page

All day today and tonight on our live election coverage beginning at 8 PM, VDC will be paying close attention to the up-in-the-air races for lieutenant governor and the Vermont Senate. 

Incumbents are believed likely to carry the races for governor, U.S. Senator, Vermont House, Attorney General, Treasurer, Auditor, and Secretary of State. While there are many spirited races for the Vermont House, their public profile hasn’t reached the level of attention given to two other electoral arenas: the race for lieutenant governor, and the Vermont Senate. 

Lieutenant Governor: John Rodgers (GOP) vs. incumbent David Zuckerman (D)

In a race pitting one farmer against another, former Democrat Rodgers hopes to topple incumbent and former Progressive David Zuckerman. Some Democrats, fearing a Zuckerman for Governor campaign in 2026, are backing Rodgers.

What’s at stake?

In Vermont, lieutenant governor is hardly the ceremonial office some deem it to be. The LG moderates the Senate floor meetings, casts the tie-breaking vote, sits on the three-person committee that chooses committee chairs and members, is acting governor when the governor is out of state or unable to perform his/her duties, and becomes governor if he/she dies, resigns, or otherwise cannot hold office. 

There’s lots more to being LG than greeting visiting schoolchildren and dispensing coffee and other sundries to the adults. And, many LGs successfully move up the ladder to higher office in Montpelier or Washington D.C. 

If elected, Rodgers has pledged to be a faithful wingman for Gov. Phil Scott in his struggle for lower taxes, etc. against whatever remains of the Legislature’s Supermajority. Zuckerman has been a steady Supermajority supporter.

Key Senate Races

Only three counties – Essex, Lamoille, and Franklin, all with Republican incumbents – have no major party races. The 11 others all have hard-fought races, mostly featuring Republican hopefuls against Democrat incumbents or Democrat replacements of incumbent senators who are not on the ballot. 

What’s at stake? If the GOP picks up 3-4 more seats – doable but by no means a sure thing – Gov. Scott (and presumably some taxpayers) can sigh with relief that he’ll be able to veto the least affordable of the Supermajority’s bills.

But that’s not all. If the GOP picks up 5-6 seats, the minority caucus could effect a leadership coup, installing a more Centrist Democrat. And with a Hail Mary eight seat pickup AND a Rodgers win, a Republican could be the next Senate Pro Tem.

Here’s a county-by-county breakdown of the four Senate races in which there are no elected incumbents:

Bennington County – The retirement of Brian Campion and death of Richard Sears leaves the recently deep-blue county wide open to four non-Democrat challengers: Republican Joe Gervais and independents Steve Berry, former gadly Democratic Rep. Cynthia Browning, and Spike Whitmore. Gervais and the three independents all stress affordability and tax relief. They’re running against Rep. Seth Bongartz, a former state senator, and Rob Plunkett. 

Caledonia County – With the retirement of longtime incumbent Democrat Jane Kitchel, Republican Rep. Scott Beck, the most outspoken foe of the education/property tax increase in the 2024 House, is considered to have the inside track. He faces non-profit exec Amanda Cochrane. 

Grand Isle County/Colchester – Although Sen. Andy Julow is technically the incumbent, he held the seat for only a few days in the 2024 session following his appointment to fill the vacancy left by the resignation and death of longtime Democrat Sen. Richard Mazza. He faces Republican Rep. Pat Brennan, who hails from more populous Colchester, like Mazza operated a Malletts Bay general store, and is endorsed by Mike Mazza, the son of Dick Mazza and also a longtime Malletts Bay store owner. 

Orleans County – Longtime Democrat Sen. Robert Starr has retired, leaving the seat open to either Republican Sam Douglass, who ran against Starr in 2022, or Democrat Rep. Katherine Sims of Craftsbury. Starr has endorsed Sims, while Douglass has benefited from the endorsement and campaign appearances of Gov. Phil Scott. 

Other counties with lively Senate contests include:

Addison County – Longtime incumbent Chris Bray and fellow Dem Ruth Hardy will try to beat back a sturdy challenge by Steve Heffernan and Landel Cochran. 

Chittenden County – In the Chittenden North district, Milton Rep. Chris Mattos (GOP) is trying to unseat Democrat Irene Wrenner. In the Chitenden Southeast district, Rohan St. Marthe of Jericho and Bruce Roy of Williston, both Republicans, are challenging incumbent Dems Ginny Lyons, Kesha Ram Hinsdale, and Tom Chittenden. 

Windsor County – Sen. Dick McCormick declined to seek re-election. Joe Major is the new Democrat nominee. He, Alison Clarkson, and Becca White are the Dems facing Republican Andrea Murray, Jack Williams, and Jonathan Gleason, and independent Marc Nemeth.

Orange County – Larry Hart takes on longtime incumbent Mark MacDonald. 

Windham County – incumbents Nader Hashim and Wendy Harrison face Republicans Dale Gassett and Rick Morton. 

Washington County – Don Koch, Michael Deering and Mike Doyle (all GOP) challenge Democrat incumbents Ann Cummings, Andy Perchlik (also Prog), and Anne Watson (also Prog). 

Rutland County – GOP incumbents Terry Williams, David Weeks, and Brian Collamore are challenged by Democrats Marsha Cassel, Dana Peterson, and Robert Richards. 

For a review of changes in the Vermont House, see a recent VDC story, 34 House of Representatives incumbents not seeking re-election.