By Sam Douglass

Gerald Malloy, an Army veteran who has twice previously run for US Senate in Vermont as a Republican, is seeking a seat in the US House, where he will face incumbent Democratic Rep. Becca Balint in the November 3 general election. Balint was first elected to the House in 2022. Malloy ran for the US Senate in 2022 for the seat being vacated by longtime Sen. Patrick Leahy, finishing behind then-US Rep. Peter Welch. In 2024, he challenged Sen. Bernie Sanders. His campaign for the House this year marks his third consecutive federal election bid.

After 22 years of active duty in the military, he continued working in government and with the military, primarily in the Washington DC area. He later worked in the private sector. In response to the Chronicle, Malloy said his military, government and business experience has shaped his approach to public service. He describes his career as focused on service rather than politics and says he would work across party lines when he believes doing so would benefit Vermont. He has since reiterated this sentiment on social media regarding the outcome of the Scott and Janoo gubernatorial race.

Affordability is a central issue for Malloy, who identifies the rising cost of living as Vermont’s biggest challenge. He pointed to housing, healthcare, energy, and inflation as pressures on families and businesses. While serving in Congress, he plans to support reducing federal spending, lowering energy costs, and cutting regulations. He also favors reducing waste and fraud in federal programs as part of an effort to address the national debt.

Malloy supports making healthcare more affordable and accessible, particularly in rural communities. He plans to support policies that expand telehealth, protect rural hospitals, reduce administrative costs, and strengthen the healthcare workforce. He also supports greater transparency in prescription drug pricing, faster approval of generic medications, and policies designed to increase competition.

On immigration and border security, Malloy supports securing the border and enforcing existing laws while making the legal immigration system faster and more responsive to workforce needs. He favors prioritizing violent offenders for removal and sees potential for bipartisan agreement around border security, legal immigration, and workforce needs in industries including agriculture.

On national security, Malloy identifies China, cyberattacks, terrorism, and border security among the country’s major long-term security concerns. 

“Strong national defense begins with economic strength, secure borders, and supporting our military while caring for veterans,” said Malloy. He supports maintaining a strong military, while looking for waste in defense spending. He said military force should be a last resort, used when diplomacy fails and US national security, treaty obligations or American citizens are directly threatened.

Malloy also took a cautious position on mass surveillance using Flock cameras and other technology, an emerging concern among many Americans. He supports technology that can aid law enforcement, but only when accompanied by oversight and safeguards for constitutional rights. He supports congressional term limits, and on education, he believes education decisions should largely remain with parents, teachers, and local communities. On climate policy, he favors cleaner technologies, responsible forestry, advanced nuclear energy, and other energy solutions while seeking to limit costs to families and businesses.

If elected, Malloy told the Chronicle he would seek federal funding for Vermont infrastructure, broadband, rural healthcare, agriculture, veterans’ services, and federal grants for economic development. When asked about the conflict between party loyalty and a duty to voters, he said he would always put Vermont ahead of party leadership if the two conflicted, including if President Trump or Republican leadership took a position he believed was harmful to the state.