PRESS RELEASE from VTGOP
The Vermont Republican Party announced today that Jace Laquerre has accepted the Party’s nomination for Chittenden County State’s Attorney for the 2026 general election.
Laquerre is entering the race as a placeholder candidate to give Chittenden County voters a choice for State’s Attorney. This comes with a specific commitment: if elected, Laquerre will resign from the position, creating a vacancy that Governor Phil Scott would fill.
“I am running because I believe the voters of Chittenden County deserve a choice in this election,” said Laquerre. “I am willing to put my name on the ballot and allow voters to decide whether they want a change in leadership. If elected, I will resign from the office after taking the necessary steps to ensure an orderly transition. I trust Governor Scott to appoint someone who will lead the office effectively and restore a focus on public safety and accountability.”
Giving Voters a Choice
The Republican Party said the campaign is intended to provide voters with an alternative to the incumbent and ensure that the State’s Attorney’s race offers a meaningful choice.
George has never been challenged in a general election, and recently only narrowly won a democratic primary with low voter turnout, where she lost in the city of Burlington.
Laquerre said the decision to resign would not be tied to any particular individual being appointed to the position.
“I am not asking voters to elect a particular successor,” said Laquerre. “The appointment process following a vacancy is established by law. My commitment is simply to allow voters to decide whether they want a change.”
If Laquerre is elected and subsequently resigns, Vermont law provides that the resulting vacancy may be filled by appointment by the Governor for the remainder of the term.
This is not without precedent. Governor Scott recently appointed Bram Kranichfeld in Franklin County after a vacancy. In 2022, Jennifer Barrett won the election in Orleans County but immediately resigned, and Governor Scott also made an appointment for the full four-year term.
Candidate cites Sarah George’s Failures
“I do not believe we can afford four more years of Sarah George’s overly lenient, catch-and-release prosecutorial policies,” said Laquerre. “I believe, as do many others, that these policies have made our communities less safe, and the recent issues in Burlington are evidence of that. As a new father, it is important to me that we elect a State’s Attorney who takes public safety seriously, holds repeat offenders accountable, and works closely with law enforcement and our communities to keep people safe.”
George has repeatedly exercised prosecutorial discretion in ways that have frustrated law enforcement and community members, including her decision this year not to prosecute several people arrested during a confrontation with law enforcement.
Her approach to bail has similarly prioritized reducing incarceration, with her office generally declining to request cash bail—even as communities across Chittenden County have continued to grapple with repeat offending and public disorder.
A Different Kind of Campaign
Laquerre and the VTGOP acknowledged that the approach is unusual but said the objective is straightforward: to allow voters in the general election – not just the Democratic primary – to express their preference regarding the direction of the State’s Attorney’s Office.