The Burlington Free Press has endorsed Matt Dunne, a Democrat, and Phil Scott, a Republican, in the primary race for governor.
The Free Press made the announcements on Sunday.
Dunne is in a three-way race with Sue Minter, a former secretary of the Agency of Transportation under Shumlin, and Peter Galbraith, a former state senator and ambassador. Minter is ahead of Dunne by 8 points in a favorability poll released last week by Vermont Public Radio, while Galbraith is trailing.
Scott is running against Bruce Lisman, a former Wall Street executive, and has a very large lead in the same poll.
Aki Soga, the editorial page writer for the Free Press, writes that Dunne “shows a firm grasp of his agenda” and is able to “articulate his vision and how he sees moving the state toward his goals without falling back on campaign rhetoric.”
The Queen City newspaper says that Dunne understands the importance of growing the economy and is for an “activist state government that chips away” at disadvantages faced by low-income Vermonters.
While Dunne has aligned himself with Sen. Bernie Sanders progressive legacy, the newspaper says he is “a more pragmatic liberal.”
“Dunne is the Democratic candidate with the clearest picture of how state government can be a force of good for the people of Vermont,” according to the endorsement.
The Free Press favors Scott over Lisman because of his “experience in government and his first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to operate a small business in Vermont.”
The newspaper touted Scott’s proposal to use a two year budget cycle, limit the legislative session to 90 days and rein in spending “even if it means a budget veto.”
“Scott’s record in the Statehouse says he understands that governing is more than bold statements and flashy initiatives, and that the true service to the people often happens in little ways that make life just a little less difficult for Vermonters,” Soga writes.
In sum, the Free Press says Scott is the Republican “with the resume that shows he is best prepared to take the reins of state government with a steady hand.”
The primary is Aug. 9.
