[B]ETHEL — The man standing outside the local polls couldn’t stop talking about his longtime support of former Republican White House duo George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. So whom did he vote for in Tuesday’s Vermont gubernatorial primary?
Democrat Sue Minter.
The woman who followed reminisced about helping elect the state’s first female chief executive, Madeleine Kunin. So whom did she vote for in the current contest featuring a woman?
Minter’s challenger Matt Dunne.
This Windsor County town’s gubernatorial vote totals have matched statewide results in 20 of the last 21 general elections. But on primary day this year, residents of this bellwether community seemed happy to confound pundits seeking easily explained trends.
Republican Phil Scott has been making a political name for himself ever since winning election as a state senator in 2000 and lieutenant governor in 2010.
“I like the way he works across the aisle,” said 75-year-old retiree Steve Vargo. “I think he can get things done.”
But GOP challenger Bruce Lisman’s lack of similar experience — he instead was an executive at a financial services firm — sparked the support of many other Bethel voters.
“I think we need a businessman running things, not politicians,” said 61-year-old builder Wayne Olado. “People get in there forever and nothing gets done.”
Added 30-year-old Ecolab territory manager Kent Hower: “It’s refreshing to see somebody outside the political circle come in. For me, Scott’s had his chance. We need new blood.”
On the Democratic side, Dunne is considered a neighbor, as he lives just a half-hour away in Hartland.
“I met him years back and was impressed with him,” said one man, joining a chorus of others who preferred not to publicize their names.
But Dunne’s Bethel supporters most often cited television and mass-mailing advertising tying him to vanquished Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders for their votes.
“He represents what Bernie represents,” one woman said. “I like that.”
Minter’s supporters, for their part, promoted her state government experience.
“She has definite plans on how to achieve goals,” one man said.
The surprises continued right to the end. Take the woman who switched her vote from Dunne to Minter after he revised his position on wind power just days before the primary to give communities the right to vote on projects within their borders.
“To allow every little town to squabble about that?” she said. “I think we need to say we’re committed to alternative energy.”
In the end, Bethel Republicans voted for Scott over Lisman, 103 to 45, while Democrats divided their votes evenly between Minter and Dunne, each with 114, compared with fellow Democrat Peter Galbraith’s 15 — preserving the town’s winning track record until at least November.