BIG GOP WINS IN HOUSE AND SENATE – the Franklin County House and Senate delegation (see St. Albans Rep. Casey Toof above) will be all Republicans in January, and the Senate has six new Republican senators – including Chittenden North winner Chris Mattos (to right of Toof) and Larry Hart of Orange County.
It’s six minutes after midnight. 91% of the vote – a total of 362,501, 8,000 shy of the 2020 record turnout – has been tallied. Barring last-minute big returns for the Democrats in several small towns, the results spell the end of the Democrat supermajority in both the House and the Senate and the election of a Republican governor and lieutenant governor.
Here are the bare-boned results: Lt. Gov. candidate John Rodgers has a 4,000 vote, 1.5% lead over incumbent Democrat David Zuckerman. This race still could go Zuckerman’s way but the towns remaining (including many in the Northeast Kingdom) are more likely to swing towards Rodgers.
Republicans are either firmly elected or leading in 13 Senate seats, guaranteeing at a Senate support of Gov. Phil Scott’s vetos.
Republicans have picked up an estimated 22 more House seats, guaranteeing House support of Gov. Phil Scott’s vetos. The following Republicans were elected (or in several cases, leading with a single town remaining to report) in districts now held by Democrats:
Brenda Steady Chittenden-25
Bruce Busa Bennington-1
Chris Keyser Rutland-7
Chris Pritchard Rutland-Bennington
Debra Lynn Powers Caledonia-1
Greg Burtt Caledonia-Washington
Jim Casey Addison-Rutland
Joe Luneau Franklin-3
Ken Wells Orleans-3
Kevin Winter Rutland-Windsor
Leland Morgan Grand Isle-Chittenden
Michael Boutin Washington-3
Mike Southworth Caledonia-2
Mike Tagliavia Orange-1
Nancy Gassett Windham-1
Richard Bailey Lamoille-2
Rob North Addison-3
Sandy Pinsonault Bennington-Rutland
Paul Sciortino Lamoille-3
Thomas Charlton Windsor-Windham
Todd Nielson Rutland-9
VL Coffin Windsor-2
By contrast, Democrats picked up just one seat now held by a Republican – a Colchester seat vacated by Pat Brennan when he ran for the Senate.
However, Brennan was one of an estimated six new Republicans elected, in addition to the seven incumbents all winning re-election. The new Senate Republicans are:
Brennan (Grand Isle Colchester)
Scott Beck (Caledonia)
Sam Douglass (Orleans)
And Chris Mattos (Chittenden North), and likely
Larry Hart (Orange), leading Mark MacDonald by a 53%-43% margin with 10 of 13 towns reporting, and
Steve Heffernan (Addison), in the #2 spot ahead of Chris Bray by 500 votes with one town unreported
The big pickups also may lead to changes in leadership in both Senate and House, with more centrist Democrat or independent leaders making common cause with the enlarged Republican caucuses.
