Republicans will pick up at least two seats in the Vermont Senate if late figures from Tuesday’s election hold up.
The GOP was poised to gain seats in Franklin and Rutland counties.
With only Fairfax not reporting in Franklin County, Incumbent Republican Sen. Norm McCallister held a 1,200-vote lead over Democrat Sara Branon Kittell for the county’s second seat. Dustin Degree led the pack with 6,134 votes to McAllister’s 5,656 and Kittell’s 4,413 in the two-seat district. Degree would replace retired Democratic Sen. Don Collins.
In Rutland County, Republican Brian Collamore defeated Democrat William Tracy Carris by 2,000 for the third seat. Sen. Eldred French, a Democrat appointed to Carris’ father, was in fifth place.
Collamore will join incumbents Republicans Peg Flory and Kevin Mullin in the all-GOP Rutland delegation in the senate. Flory was the top vote getter with 10,212; Mullin had 9,931; Collamor 9,280; Carris 7,356; and French 5,650.
Two other senate races that were expected to be tight appeared to be leaning toward the Democrat/Progressive column.
In Washington County, Sen. Anthony Pollina held off Republican Pat McDonald in the three-seat district. Incumbent Sen. Bill Doyle, a Republican, had 10,918; Democratic Sen. Ann Cummings had 10,669; Pollina had 9,923; and McDonald was fourth with 8,488.
In Orange County, with 10 of 11 towns reporting, incumbent Democrat Mark MacDonald held a 643-vote lead over Republican Robert Frenier.
Sen. Joe Benning, R-Caledonia, head of the Republican senate campaign effort, was pleased with the prospect of adding two senators to the seven it already had in the 30-member body.
“If we had picked up one it would have been a good evening,” Benning said. “It’s no secret that ideology has trumped practical ability (in the Legislature). Abstract concepts (such as single payer health care) have not been supported with the muscle of Vermonters. Now we are starting to see the return to voices that will be more pragmatic.”
A challenge in Chittenden County by Republican Joy Limoge fell short as all six incumbents were returned to Montpelier, including the lone Republican, Diane Snelling. Limoge outspent all of the other senate candidates.
