[T]his election cycle, no big names are challenging incumbents U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch.
Sanders, 76, who ran in the 2016 presidential primary for the Democratic nomination, won by a landslide in his last race for Senate in 2012, and is thought to be unbeatable this go around.
In the primary on Aug. 14, Sanders, who has registered as a Democrat, will face Rocky de la Fuenta, an erstwhile candidate for president who hails from California, and Folasade Adeloula, a resident of Shelburne and Indiana.
Sanders’ Republican challengers in the general election on Nov. 6, include Jasdeep Pannu, a Burlington attorney, Lawrence Zupan, a little known actor and real estate agent from Manchester, and gadfly H. Brooke Paige, who has filed petitions in the U.S. House race and three statewide races.
Two Democrats are challenging Welch in the primary, Dan Freilich, a doctor who works at the VA Medical Center in White River Junction and Benjamin Mitchell of Bellows Falls who runs a school in Keene, New Hampshire. Paige and Anya Tynio of West Charleston are running on the Republican ticket against Welch.
Republican Gov. Phil Scott is being challenged in the primary by Keith Stern, who lives in North Springfield and owns a produce market in White River Junction. Scott Milne, a businessman from Pomfret who nearly won the state CEO job in 2014, announced Thursday that he wouldn’t launch a bid against the incumbent governor.
Four Democrats are vying in the gubernatorial primary: James Ehlers, the former head of Lake Champlain International, Christine Hallquist, the former CEO of Vermont Electric Coop, Brenda Siegel, an arts administrator, and Ethan Sonneborn, an 8th grader.
Rep. Don Turner, R-Milton, declared his bid for lieutenant governor earlier this week. He will be challenging incumbent Lt. Gov. Dave Zuckerman, a Progressive/Democrat from Hinesburg.
As of 5 p.m. Thursday, the filing deadline for Democratic and Republican primary candidates, a total of 46 candidates had filed for 30 state Senate seats: 18 Republicans and 28 Democrats. In Washington County, there are nine candidates — three Republicans and six Democrats vying for three seats. Only one of those has been left vacant by Sen. Francis Brooks, who is retiring.
There are a total of 175 candidates running for 150 House seats so far. Of that number 61 are Republicans; 114 are Democrats.
The deadline for independent candidates is Aug. 9.
Correction: Keith Stern is running in the Republican gubernatorial primary. His name was omitted in an earlier version.