By Sam Douglass

MONTPELIER – Following significant Republican losses in Tuesday’s general election, Vermont’s House and Senate Republican caucuses met privately on Saturday, November 7, to elect their leadership for the upcoming 2027-2028 legislative biennium.

According to a joint press release, Rep. Pattie McCoy of Poultney was reelected House Minority Leader, while Sen. Scott Beck of St. Johnsbury retained his position as Senate Minority Leader. Sen. Brian Collamore of Rutland City was also reelected Senate Assistant Minority Leader.

The only reported change in leadership was in the House Republican caucus. Rep. Tom Oliver of Sheldon replaced incumbent Rep. Mark Higley as Assistant Minority Leader, also known as the Minority Whip. The Whip counts and confirms votes and ensures cohesion among Republicans within the caucus.

According to his legislative bio, Oliver was born in Amarillo, Texas and moved to Burlington when he was eight years old. He attended Burlington High School and went on to study the social sciences at Champlain College. He began his career in law enforcement in 1986 and attended the VCJTC in 1990. He worked for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department until 2019, ending his tenure as chief deputy. He currently works as State Deputy Sheriff in Burlington. He volunteered for Amcare Ambulance and was a justice of the peace in Sheldon. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Missisquoi Sportsman’s Club. He is a competitive shooter in many disciplines, and an active pyrotechnician who is licensed in several states.

Higley made headlines earlier this year when he attempted to force a floor vote on H.70, a bill that would allow land enrolled in Vermont’s Current Use program to count toward the state’s goal of permanently conserving 30% of its land by 2030 and 50% by 2050. The legislation, which had bipartisan support and was a priority of the Rural Caucus, faced opposition from House Environment Committee Chair Amy Sheldon and was unlikely to make it to the floor through the normal legislative process. After the committee declined to advance the bill, Higley used an infrequently used House rule in an unsuccessful attempt to bring it directly to the House floor. The effort failed in a 58-80 vote.

The elections for Republican legislative leadership fell less than a week after Republicans suffered substantial losses in both chambers of the Vermont Legislature, reversing much of the party’s legislative gains from the 2024 election and losing the ability to sustain a gubernatorial veto.

In a joint statement following Saturday’s meetings, Beck and McCoy expressed a willingness to work with lawmakers across party lines.

“There are several affordability issues facing Vermonters, and we are ready to roll up our sleeves, reach across the aisle, and work for all Vermonters,” the two leaders said. “Vermonters deserve nothing less.”

Legislative caucuses are informal groups of lawmakers organized around shared political affiliation, ideology, or policies. While partisan caucuses generally consist of members of the same political party, other caucuses are multi-partisan and don’t limit their membership to one party. In Vermont, the Rural Caucus is often well-attended and has been co-chaired by three Representatives of opposing parties, or as is the case in its current composition, co-chaired by an Independent.

Caucuses can also play an important role in the legislative process, particularly when lawmakers are attempting to build a coalition of support for a bill. Members of a caucus may sometimes vote together as a bloc, although individual lawmakers are free to vote independently. Securing the support of a caucus can be significant when legislative leaders and sponsors are counting votes, negotiating, or attempting to assemble enough support to pass a bill.