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Centrist Democrat incumbent will likely win, “has seen the light,” Scott says – some Republicans unhappy
By Guy Page
Gov. Phil Scott has endorsed an incumbent Democrat facing a re-election challenge from two Republicans. VDC asked him why at his press conference Tuesday, October 8.
Scott’s endorsement of four-term incumbent Rep. Jay Hooper (D-Randolph) did not sit well with at least one Republican incumbent House member, who wondered how a Republican governor could endorse a Democrat who faces a challenge by two Republican candidates in the two-seat district election Nov. 5.
Earlier this week, Hooper posted on Facebook an endorsement photo of himself and the governor.
“4-term incumbent Representative Philip Jay Hooper is pleased to be the only candidate in his House race who has received Governor Phil Scott’s endorsement, based on his commitment to dismantling partisan gridlock,” Hooper’s post said in part.
Hooper often but not always votes with the Supermajority. He recently expressed his unhappiness on VDC-TV’s Friday at Four last month that “fewer than 10” legislators make the big decisions. He also reminded his Facebook readers he voted against the school property tax increase.
VDC asked Gov. Scott Tuesday: “You’ve endorsed Rep. Jay Hooper of Randolph, an incumbent Democrat who has two Republicans running against him in the general election. Why is a Republican governor endorsing a Democrat when there are GOP candidates in the same race?”
Scott replied: “I’ve talked a lot about common sense. We need to attract more into politics here in Vermont. We have an existing representative who I believe is going to win, and I believe that he has seen the light in many many different ways, and I think transitioning very well to a moderate interest whether a Democrat or Republican.
“He’s come a long ways over the last two, three years, and I think he could be helpful to us here in the state in the future. I said I would identify moderate centrist candidates who I feel have common sense and would pull us in the right direction, and he’s one of them.”
Scott’s endorsement was derided by Art Peterson (R-Clarendon).
“What bothers me is that it is a two seat district and there are two Republicans running!,” he said in an email to VDC. Republicans Rob Sikora of Brookfield and Wayne Townsend of Randolph are on the Nov. 5 ballot.
The Orange-Washington-Addison House District (Roxbury, Randolph, Braintree, Brookfield, Granville) has been considered a safe ‘blue’ district in recent years. The other incumbent is Larry Satcowitz, a leading voice for climate change and environmental legislation.
Supporters of Scott’s endorsement say he is one of the Democrat allies with the courage to put progress for his constituents ahead of the orders of his party’s political bosses from Burlington. Hooper’s independence was established early-on when, in one of his first votes as a 2017 freshman, he voted to seat Republican Bob Frenier following a lengthy, disputed recount of a 2016 House race.
Hooper voted to not override the governor’s veto of H.289, the Renewable Energy Standard, and the property tax bill. However, he did vote with the Supermajority to override Scott’s veto of bills for so-called ‘safe injection sites’ and the Act 250 bills, as well as other less high-profile bills.
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Categories: politics
Speaking from personal experience, having run for the legislature as a Republican, the amount of time and energy and money that these good candidates and their volunteers put into trying to make their state a better place is enormous. Having Phil Scott come out and endorse a leftist Democrat instead of these two good candidates is an absolute slap in the face. One thing about Phil is that he is always reliable in rubbing the noses of his Republican supporters in excrement.
Blackmail and bribery are a dirty business.
Public perception matters. There are plenty of conservative republicans running that are willing to work with Governor Scott to address his top three priorities regardless of his endorsement: 1)affordability, 2) housing, 3) safety. That’ being said, as long as lies are promulgated from the Progressive Democrats and media outlets that Republicans are going to take away your birth control (Becca Balint newsletter) and are horrible people, in state that is largely Democrat, I understand his choices. Put the blame where it belongs: lying Progressive Democrats and MSM, which frequently lies by omission of coverage on important issues.
Quoting: “Scott replied: “I’ve talked a lot about common sense. We need to attract more into politics here in Vermont. We have an existing representative who I believe is going to win, and I believe that he has seen the light in many many different ways, and I think transitioning very well to a moderate interest whether a Democrat or Republican”
Scott has more crap gushing out of his ears than in a dairy barn. No one runs against him, so he’s a repeat. Term limits anyone??? If someone does, the REP party won’t back them time and again. A reason why VT is dead and getting deader. Is it payola time? If the scales of justice is engaged, Scott would unbalance them downward. Can see who is kissing who’s butt. Scott also introduce gun control in safe VT with that incident in Fair Haven kid threatening violence. Scott caved (believe he was told to do it). The influx of criminals didn’t hear Scott. On and ON and ON.
Tom
>>>”No one runs against him, so he’s a repeat.”<<
Are you joking? People run against him, but THEY don't get media coverage or debates. And if the others are so lucky as to get a "debate" Gov Scott backs out of it. Scott is, for some mind boggling reasin, is the nation's "top Governor." He's top alright….a top turn coat RINO.
#HOYT4VTGOVERNOR❤️
OK, I get it — I am neighbors with Jay Hooper and have known his family for decades. Jay is likeable (except for when he absurdly attacked me for not glowing in adoration for the dubious 2022 election results — apparently only Dems are allowed to question voting integrity), and perhaps he is starting to understand just how off the rails the prog destruction of Vermont has been. (I believe he has, and I am stunned that more Democrats can still keep their heads so firmly planted in their dark echo chamber that they remain oblivious to their constituents.) However, I must cry FOWL!
1) Phil Scott has a very clear record of NOT supporting Republicans — he has historically just let everyone do their own thing. It is great that he has finally emerged from his political slumber to actually endorse candidates, including the important LG run by John Rodgers. But John is a walkaway, not just a ditherer. John has made a commitment to Vermonters that Jay has not– Jay wants to have his Dem cake and eat GOP too. (Reminds me of a certain RINO, but that is an old if sad tale).
2) As Art Peterson observes, there are TWO VERY GOOD GOP CANDIDATES in this race, investing their time and treasure to rescue Vermonters from the Progressive destruction of which Jay has historically been a player. But now Phil Scott shields Jay from that accountability with voters using his popularity AGAINST our good candidates. I personally solicited Bob Sikora to run for this House seat — he is an outstanding person of experience and moral character. Did Phil ever meet the guy before backstabbing him, or is his loyalty to Jay Hooper just so great that he will knife his own? (Yup.) Wayne Townsend is a blue color workaholic on his third run — so nice of Phil to slit Wayne’s political throat to maintain Jay’s presence instead of just allow these candidates to have a fair shake with voters.
Larry Satcowitz is the most blase, unthinking, mediocre mind I have ever witnessed in public office. (Well, except for Kamala Harris). When will Phil be endorsing him? Or, will Phil get “radical” and endorse a Republican against this uber-progressive shill for Zuckerman and the extremist Left? With friends like Phil Scott, who needs enemies?
I do hope Jay continues to mature in his thinking — I do believe he is sincere. But if he wins and votes Prog in the future, let us all remember who made sure it happened. Perhaps Vermont was better off when Phil just kept himself in political isolation.
Didn’t Phil Scott endorse your candidacy for the Senate before your dismal showing against a candidate who wasn’t even able to campaign?
As I have said before…… Most Republicans are actually democrats but NO democrats are ever republican!
The fact that Phil Scott continues to deceive voters by claiming to be a Republican should tell us all we need to know of his character.
Phil Scott continues to gaslight Vermonters into believing he is Republican. Again, he has endorsed a Democrat candidate. It would not surprise me one bit if he casts his vote for the Communist party of Harris/Walze as he did in 2020 for Biden. Might as well just put a D behind his name. He will never get my vote.
John, you can be sure he will vote for Harris. This governor talks to progressives. He has served in the legislature for years with the now super majority. Then he talks about common sense. Remember safe and effective and get your child vaccinated with an unproven gene therapy elixir equivalent to a snake oil salesman. Of course he will endorse a democrat, they are the voters who vote for him.
That’s only contributing to hurting republicans in the future in this nasty little state, he’s a RINO, or even worse, he’s a shoe in, that’s why I voted for Kevin. He complains about the super majority and stabs these guys in the back, two to one they both support DJT, time for Phil to go and buy his little island in the sun like Chumplin, Art is correct, watch his podcasts all the time exposing the lefts insanity, another dark sad day for republicans in vermont
#HOYT4VTGOVERNOR❤️
Phil Scott is a disgrace to Vermont’s Republican party, he might as well become a DemocRAT, because he is, and he is a “RAT ” for the conservatives in Vermont !!
If he’s the so-called ” Most Popular ” Governor in the US, if turncoat Phil is the most
popular who in the H did they ask or pay to state that nonsense?
Wake up people
He’s popular with low information non-thinkers who don’t know him.
I’m just apoor man from South Carolina who lives part-time in Vermont, but I don’t understand how the Republican Governor’s endorsement of an incumbent Democrat is going to “dismantle the gridlock” of the Super majority. Maybe a Vermont native can explain it to me.
It’s not going to dismantle anything, but it shows our displeasure with the governor who was elected as a republican who voted for Biden, will probably vote for Harris and has done very little for republicans as he lost his veto power. Maybe he has always been a democrat in republican clothing. I doubt that a true republican would have allowed liberals to paint “Black Lives Matter” in the street in front of the people’s state house or would have locked down the whole state during Covid to get dollars from the Biden administration like a good soldier or tell parents to vaccinate their children with a non-tested gene therapy drug that turned out to possibly be dangerous. Critical thinking and common sense have died in Vermont. We have a state in decline under current leadership.
lol….yeah, some of are still waiting for that explanation. Sadly most of the VTGOP think he’s a political genius and should continue to lead the party.
Yes, lol, please explain how electing more democrats is going to take away the super majority of democrats…..
Some has suggested that perhaps our public education system could use improvement……
lol…..yes please explain, while pulling the lever for Kamala.
Some of us have been screaming out, hell he can be governor, but how can you keep him in the party. Too funny.
He’s basically the Pete Rose of Vermont politics..
🦏
Jay Hopper is a good friend of Orange County’s senator in Williamstown, Mark MacDonald, another democrat who votes with the majority of progressives and have no allegiance to what their constituents want but only to power. MacDonald said, “If you have no heating fuel and it’s very cold, just throw on another blanket”. He doesn’t care if you freeze to death. Don’t vote for any one of them. Don’t vote for the gov either because he’s showing his true colors, he’s really a democrat!!!
Hooper voted to override Gov. Scott’s veto of the first Clean Heat Standard in 2022 (H.715), and he voted to override Scott’s veto of the second version of the Clean Heat Standard (Act 18) in 2023. Sure, he voted against the property tax yield bill this year, but he voted for the bills that drove up school spending (the moronic pupil weighting law, and the $30 milloin free lunch for rich kids law) that were at the root cause of the property tax increase. I guess Scott feels like he has to endorse SOME democrat to show he’s still a reach across the aisle kind of guy, but if Hooper’s the best he can find to fill that role of “moderate”, it just goes to show how truly bad and out of touch the Democrat party in VT really is. Vote Wayne Townsend and Bob Sikora!
I’m beginning to wonder about Phil Scott and John Rogers. After watching Rogers debate Zuckerman last night, advocating for limiting gun ownership, and stating that his policy choices haven’t changed from his days of being a democrat (policies that put us in our current dire straits), it seems that Scott and Rogers are ‘trojan horses’.
Last year it was Liam Madden who pretended to be a Republican. Clearly, the concept of party affiliation has been corrupted. And in the final analysis, that may be a good thing. Judge the policies and outcomes of your representative’s so-called ‘public service’. Don’t confuse their personal success with your own.
Phil Scott has once again showed his ardent commitment to single party rule. Labels don’t mean anything, especially when they’re on an empty bottle.
Yes, Jay hopper a progressive who is great friends of Mark MacDonald the dem senator next door in Williamstown. Mark is the senator that told people—if you’re cold and have no heat, just put on another blanket!!! Williamstown—vote for Larry Hart Jr. and in Randolph vote for Wayne Townsend and Bob Sikora!!!
Make the governor do his job with enough republicans to uphold his veto!!!
The best way to cure all of this is to vote a straight republican ticket excluding Prince Phillip. He will be elected by the democrats anyway. Then, whatever the democrats propose another tax to continue to ruin us financially we will have the veto power in the legislature, not the governor’s office. Then Phil can act like the democrat he is and the newly elected legislature can stop the crazy and repeal the rest of the restrictions hurting all of us. When you drive around the state, observe the empty store fronts in every town. No one can start and keep a small business running due to the overlords that have killed small businesses. Enough is enough, vote like your life depended on it because it does.
This makes my blood boil. Why do we continue to cover for this man? There is no excuse for his actions. Scott’s dislike for Republicans is crystal clear. It will take a miracle to save Vermont. If my husband wanted to move, I’d put the place up for sale, grab a change of clothes and the dog and high tail it out of here the next day.
Driving along the N. Ridge Road between Brookfield and Randolph Center yesterday – I noted a Ukrainian flag waving in one door yard and many Mark “Get an extra blanket” MacDonald signs. I also drove by the Brookfield Elementary School – I thought to be safe from the works of demons as a small rural school. I noted on their website a program facilitated by Legos and Take Action Global. (Corporate sponsored NWO/WEF globalist propaganda and coup facilitators.) Taxpayer money used to mindwarp children – how nice! See how they use toys or cartoon characters to get their brainwashing messages across?
Much to my chagrin, it appears this portion of Orange County is full of brainwashed criminal cartel lovers. Appears they are securing the next generation to be malcontent freaks of misery as well.
So sad, Vermont is woefully infected with a mind virus threatening the destruction of us all.
Politics in Vermont is like going to a swinger’s party, everybody’s screwing one another. And Phil Scott goes both ways. Vote Kevin Hoyt for Governor.
There are no Democrats.
There are no Republicans.
There are no Independents.
THERE ARE ONLY PROGRESSIVES AND PATRIOTS.
#HOYT4VTGOVERNOR❤️
Vermont is the poster child for propaganda works. They have most of the state believing their neighbors are evil if they vote republican. If somebody could even suggest they support Trump they physically shake with rage.
And they even convinced the entire VtGop that republicans are bad. They even CONvinced the party leader Paul Dame, and The governor.
There next trick is CONvince white Christian, heterosexual men they are the evil of the world, the cause of all the problems.
Problem is the book of Philemon, since the Bible was written and followed more people have been freed from slavery than any other time in history. In Jesus day 35%of the world was enslaved by Roman’s. How many are today in America?
Friends don’t let friends believe propaganda.
Apparently they didn’t teach critical thinking in the Governors shop class.
Vermont can do better, much better, for less money.
I’m suspicious of any endorsement, Republican or otherwise by Scott. He wants people he knows will “get on board”. Scott and a couple others in Montpelier have destroyed the Republican Party in Vermont. I have zero respect for him as a politician.
HOYT4VTGOVERNOR❤️
Remember the … PHIL bumper stickers and the give away of the thirty round mags. on the state house lawn. Try not to forget the past.
Gov Scott has smoked to much of that Skunk piss Swamp Grass period !
Wtf Scott!!
Does Phil Scott’s endorsement really matter?
I say, NOT!
Candidates get out there knocking on doors in your Districts meeting the people, and win on your own with the People. Be honest and transparent and support making Vermont Affordable for everyone. Stop the super-duper Democrat-Socialist majority!
Scott created many of these problems that We Vermont are living today, starting with the GWSA / Act 18 by joining Vermont into the U.S. Climate Alliance in 2017/2018.
Like me, Go get the endorsements from the People, “We The People,” politicians endorsements do NOT help. Thank you.
#Trump/Vance2024
Greg, We the people spoke and kicked your ass to the curb. It feels great every time.
Chris, from a guy who sits behind a pc/fon and foams at the mouth and does make any sense, just beats up on good strong people, that’s a compliment. Put your name on a public ballot weak person! LOL
Deceitful RINO 💵