By Guy Page

Republican Rep. Gina Galfetti of the Washington-Orange district announced Thursday she intends to run for speaker of the Vermont House, setting up an unusual bid for the chamber’s top leadership post from a member of the Republican minority.

Galfetti’s party status presents an obvious hurdle: the House speaker is elected by the full membership of the 150-seat chamber, meaning a Republican candidate would need substantial support beyond the GOP caucus unless the balance of power changes dramatically in the November election.

Democrat Majority Leader Lori Houghton of Essex Junction has announced she is a candidate to replace current Speaker Jill Krowinski, who is not seeking reelection. 

Galfetti, a painting contractor and Barre Town resident, has earned a reputation as a fiscal conservative and fiscal moderate. Although she has held GOP caucus leadership positions, she also has acted independently of the caucus.

Galfetti said she is running because she believes the Legislature has become too partisan and that changes to the institution should begin with the speaker’s office.

“In recent years, Vermont’s Legislature has become an increasingly partisan machine that has lost its roots,” Galfetti said. She argued lawmakers are too often pressured to vote according to party expectations rather than their own views or those of their constituents.

If elected speaker for the 2027-28 biennium, Galfetti said her first priority would be establishing a “hard adjournment date” of April 15.

“There is no reason a state of Vermont’s size needs to be in session into mid or late May,” she said, arguing that shorter sessions would make it easier for farmers, business owners and other working Vermonters to serve in the citizen Legislature.

Her second priority would be appointing committee chairs from both parties who agree to concentrate on affordability and economic opportunity.

“The best people for the job come from both sides of the aisle and my appointments will reflect that,” Galfetti said. She said she wants more legislation reaching the House floor with unanimous committee support, which she described as evidence of compromise rather than “one-party rule.”

Galfetti also criticized what she called “outside lobbying agendas” and “top-down governance” in the State House, saying lawmakers should have greater freedom to represent their districts independently.

The Republican lawmaker acknowledged indirectly that the composition of the next House remains unsettled, saying she deliberately announced before the November general election because voters — rather than political insiders — should have their say before the next speaker is determined.

“I do not believe the next Speaker should be determined in August of an election cycle — and before Vermonters have had their say at the ballot box,” Galfetti said.

She encouraged lawmakers from other parties to enter the speaker’s race as well.

“Competition breeds the best candidates and Vermont deserves someone in that office who is the best person for the job, not simply someone who has been installed behind the scenes,” Galfetti said.

The speaker will be selected by members of the House when the newly elected Legislature convenes in January. Galfetti’s candidacy means that, barring a major shift in the House’s partisan makeup, she would have to attract votes from outside the Republican minority to win the gavel.