Democrat State Rep. Matt Birong of Vergennes has endorsed Republican Lt. Gov. John Rodgers for re-election, after supporting a Democrat in this month’s primary.

The Democrat chair of House Government Operations Committee follows last week’s endorsement of Rodgers, a former Democrat,  by former Democrat Senator Bobby Starr of Orleans County. 

Birong, who has represented the Addison-3 House district since 2019, endorsed Ryan McLaren in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. He announced Monday that he is now backing Rodgers in the November general election.

“John Rodgers has always been willing to work with people regardless of party, and I respect that,” Birong said in a statement released by the Rodgers campaign. “He understands the challenges facing working Vermonters, small businesses, farmers, and rural communities because he has lived them himself.”

Birong described Rodgers as “independent” and “honest about where he stands,” saying the incumbent is focused on getting things done for Vermont.

Birong is a chef and small-business owner who previously owned 3 Squares Café in Vergennes. He has worked in Vermont’s food and hospitality industry for more than three decades and has been involved in the state’s Farm to Table movement. Before his election to the Legislature, he was a Vermont delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

Rodgers welcomed the cross-party endorsement.

“Matt is someone I’ve always respected because he approaches public service the right way,” Rodgers said. “He works hard, knows what it’s like to run a small business, and isn’t afraid to think for himself.”

Rodgers, a Glover farmer and former Democratic state representative and senator, was elected lieutenant governor in 2024 as a Republican. He is seeking a second term in November.

His campaign said Birong is among a growing number of Democratic supporters and that additional endorsements from current and former Democratic lawmakers will be announced in the coming days.