In a brief but emotional ceremony at the Statehouse, House Democrats formally nominated Rep. Mitzi Johnson, D-South Hero, on Saturday to be Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives.
With tears in her eyes, Rep. Sarah Copeland-Hanzas, who most recently served as Majority Leader and had been a frontrunner for the position, nominated Johnson.
Copeland-Hanzas dropped out of the race last weekend when she conceded that Johnson had secured enough Democratic support to win the position.
“Mitzi and I have been friends since I first came into the Legislature and I was assigned to join her on the Agriculture Committee,” Copeland-Hanzas said in her speech. “My respect for Mitzi in many ways makes this a very proud day for me.” Copeland-Hanzas was first elected in 2004.
Johnson has been in the Legislature for 14 years and has served on the House Appropriations Committee for 10 years. She became chair of the committee in 2015.
Johnson would be Vermont’s third female speaker of the House, after Consuelo Bailey and Gaye Symington.
Rep. Bill Botzow, D-Pownal, also fought back tears when he seconded Johnson’s nomination. He congratulated Johnson and Copeland-Hanzas, saying the two friends gave the Democratic caucus the choice “of who we are and where we’re going together.”
“Every single one of the things she touched she left better off for her being there and doing them, and they are extensive, and every one of them represents the things that we are,” Botzow said.
Johnson thanked the caucus for supporting her during the campaign, which started when Rep. Shap Smith, D-Morristown, decided in 2015 not to seek re-election to his seat, but got closer during the past several weeks.
“I am deeply appreciative of the work that so many of you have done in your communities and here in the legislature to help bring us to a place of evaluating government and making government work better for Vermonters, and I am thrilled,” Johnson said.
Johnson will face off against Rep. Linda Myers, R-Essex in the formal election in January. Democrats have an 84-seat majority in the 150-seat House, and their nominee is expected to win.
During the Saturday caucus, the House Democrats also nominated Rep. Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, to be majority leader. In that position, Krowinski will help set policy priorities and serve the Speaker of the House.
“As your leader I’m going to create a space where we can come together and continue to innovate, where we can come together and work to find ways to grow our economy,” Krowinski said.
“I promise I will work with every single one of you to understand your communities, listen, work, and get things done,” she added.
Rep. Tristan Toleno, D-Brattleboro, will be assistant majority leader, or majority whip. Rep. Emily Long, D-Newfane, will be deputy assistant to the majority leader, or deputy whip.
The clerk of the caucus will be Rep. Tommy Walz, D-Barre City. Rep. David Deen, D-Putney, will represent Democrats on the House Rules Committee.
