By Michael Bielawski

Former Senator John Rodgers has been formally sworn in as Vermont’s new lieutenant governor. In his first interview with VDC in his new position, he said reducing the cost of living is a big priority, and his supporters have visions for his political future beyond this office.

By lunch, Statehouse staff could be seen removing a painting of the outgoing office occupant Progressive/Democrat David Zuckerman along with a large posterboard that lists all of the “banned books” such as stories about transgenderism that he was pushing to keep in public school libraries.

Now with a new “purple” composition in both the Senate and House chambers, Republicans hold enough seats that when Republican Governor Phil Scott wants to veto a bill later this session, they can more likely uphold those vetoes.

“It makes it so the Democrats have to negotiate,” Rodgers said to VDC shortly after entering his new office.

Cost of living, public safety, and healthcare

Rodgers emphasized affordability to VDC. He said, “Affordability is top and so that is education and how we fund it, and healthcare and public safety, those are the three top things with a ton of other outlying issues.”

VDC asked if H.16, a bill that would repeal the controversial and expensive Clean Heating Standard, would be able to gain traction with the GOP’s new gains. The bill would remove mandates to shift heating fuel sources from traditional fuels to experimental and highly subsidized electric alternatives.

The bill was so unpopular with the general public that Sen. Randy Brock, R-Franklyn, once told the Senate floor he was getting “700-to-3” emails and calls against it.

Rodgers’ answer was to remind constituents that ultimately that question remains with Democrats and Progressives, who still hold an outright majority in both chambers at the Statehouse.

“That’s a good question for the majority party because we can’t move it without their help,” he said.

“Let’s see what he does”

The public is already weighing in on X about Rodger’s ascension to the second-highest Vermont office. @btvLee wrote that he has a mandate to focus on small towns.

He wrote, “Rural communities are the backbone of Vermont, but under @SKrowinski, their needs have been sidelined. Rodgers now has the opportunity—and responsibility—to hold the line for rural Vermont and ensure their voices are heard.”

He continued, “His election is a signal that many Vermonters feel unheard and abandoned by the current leadership. Lt. Gov. Rodgers now has the chance to amplify those voices and ensure rural Vermont gets the attention it deserves. Let’s see what he does.”

Another commenter on VDC suggested that Rodgers will start with a mandate.

“There is a new mandate of pro-business, less government, less taxes, a prosperous state where our children can actually have a future. The People have said ‘No to the Climate scam’, which is an evil Marxist/Globalist plan to take our land, houses, private property, our health, our future.”

“A clear path” to governor?

At least one VDC reader thinks that Rodgers’ ascension in politics has further to go.

‘MrDencur’ wrote in the comments on VDC, “Even though you have just been elected as Lt Governor, to me it looks like you now have a clear path to the next level. May God be with you…Give ’em hell…”

Also among the comments was a congratulatory remark from Gregory Thayer, Rodgers’ GOP opponent from the primaries.

“Congratulations Mr. Lieutenant Governor Rodgers. Good things are coming to ‘We The People,’” he wrote.

The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle