Scott Milne said Tuesday that he is not “proactively” lobbying legislators for their vote, but he is returning their calls.
Milne, the Republican gubernatorial candidate who lost to Gov. Peter Shumlin by 2,434 votes in the Nov. 4 general election, has not conceded the race. Because no candidate received 50 percent of the popular vote, the newly elected Legislature will choose the next governor in January.
Milne, who is traveling on business this week, issued a news release Tuesday saying that he would spend the Thanksgiving Day holidays talking with his family and would likely hold a public event in early December. Milne runs the Milne Travel agency.
Shumlin’s narrow victory stirred debate over whether lawmakers should vote for the candidate who received the most votes. Typically candidates who lose concede and legislators vote for the candidate with the most votes as a formality. Some observers have argued that lawmakers should endorse the candidate who received the most votes in the legislator’s home district. Milne is weighing whether to challenge that precedent and seek legislative support.
“I’ve been very much engaged in the debate,” Milne said in an interview Tuesday. “I’m going to spend all next week going through things. My priority is what’s in the best interest of Vermonters. We’re looking at the precedent and we’ll see where it goes.”
Lawmakers are not constitutionally bound to choose the candidate who received the most votes but have almost always done so. Two prominent Republicans, former Gov. Jim Douglas and incumbent Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, have said they would choose the top vote-getter if they were in the Legislature.
Milne also criticized the Shumlin administration’s contract with MIT economist Jonathan Gruber, whose negative comments about the intelligence of the American taxpayer have drawn national attention. Gruber was hired to perform economic modeling for the state’s goal of a publicly financed health care system.
“He’s a calculator,” Milne said of Gruber. “We don’t need to pay $450,000 for a calculator. I’m sure there are lots of people in Vermont who could do that job. Why are we sending the money out of state?”
Text of Milne’s news release
Scott Milne announcement in 2014 election
North Pomfret, VT — Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Milne today updated Vermonters on the path forward for his campaign, promising more news after Thanksgiving.
“I have been overwhelmed with the words of encouragement I have received from all corners of Vermont,” Milne stated. “What I am hearing from many Vermonters is that they are heartened and encouraged by my campaign’s success. Many people feel there is an opportunity for their voices to be heard. Their voices are calling for an end to this march toward Vermont being the most recklessly run and expensive state in the USA.”
Milne promised to have more conversations with Vermonters and digest more state history before he decides the best path forward. “I want to ensure that Vermonters who voted for change do not feel disenfranchised, and that their concerns are not forgotten when the Legislature meets in January,” he said.
“Our constitution is a great treasure. It was the first constitution in America to abolish slavery and to grant the vote to folks that didn’t own property. It provided the guidance that enabled the Brigham and Baker decisions. I see great value in deferring to the Constitution, which requires the Legislature to elect our governor when we end up with a situation like the Milne-Shumlin race in 2014,” Milne said.
“On the other hand, I am adamant that the choices we make regarding how to move forward be thoughtful and are what is best for Vermont in the long run,” Milne added.
“I want to wish everyone a peaceful and happy Thanksgiving holiday. I will be listening to Vermonters and talking with my family over the next two weeks. I will follow up with a formal announcement of our plans, regarding the constitutional demands placed on our Legislature to elect our next governor, in early December.”