[R]epublican Gov. Phil Scott cruised to victory over Democrat Christine Hallquist Tuesday, winning a second term and pledging to continue his efforts to make Vermont more affordable.
Introduced by his mother and flanked by his wife and daughters, Scott told the crowd during a 10-minute speech at a South Burlington hotel that he was humbled to win a second term.
The crowd and ovation were more subdued than when he first won two years ago, in part because of losses in the House that could make it more difficult for future vetoes to stand.
Scott complimented Hallquist for running a civil, issue-oriented and historic campaign.
While party officials talked about the difficulty of being a Republican in blue-state Vermont, where President Donald Trump was trounced in 2016, Scott said he’d been able to go against that tide.
“I think Vermonters know me, I’ve been around for a while” in car racing and politics, he said. “We tend to support those we trust.”
Hallquist conceded at around 10:20 p.m. in a call to Scott.
“I’m very proud of the campaign that we have run,” she said. “Phil is going to be very committed to the future of Vermont.”
“We show the rest of the country what good democracy looks like,” she said.
With 261 of 275 precincts reporting, Scott was receiving about 55 percent of the vote to about 41 percent for Hallquist.
Scott was the only Republican who won statewide office, with incumbent Democrats winning the lieutenant governor’s race, as well as secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general and auditor of accounts, according to election results from the Secretary of State.
By the end of the night it was clear Republicans had lost 10 seats, down to 43, seven fewer than are needed to sustain a veto from Scott. In the last session, there were 53 House Republicans. Scott issued a record number of vetoes in his budget battles with the Democratically controlled Legislature. None were overturned.
Longtime Rep. Kurt Wright, R-Burlington, who lost, said “in the year of Trump, it was toxic out there.” He said there were a flood of new people who’d moved to his district recently.
Scott acknowledged going below 50 would give him less leverage and create a “different dynamic.”
State Sen. Randy Brock, R-Franklin, said dropping below 50 in the House would be problematic for Scott but not fatal. He said independents may join the governor in a veto fight and that it would elevate the importance of Scott “horsetrading” with Democrats ahead of time.
In the last biennium, Scott took an all or nothing approach, taking the state to the brink of a government shutdown over school spending. Democrats said Scott did not negotiate over budget and school spending issues in good faith.
Hallquist, 62, a former utility CEO, was the country’s first openly transgender candidate from a major party. Until her run for governor, she spent 12 years as the head of the Vermont Electric Co-op and transitioned in 2015. She won the Democratic primary in August with 40 percent of the vote against three other candidates.
A poll in October by VPR/Vermont PBS put Scott ahead of Hallquist 42-28.
In 2016, Scott defeated Democrat Sue Minter by a 9-point margin, 53-44 percent. Scott had 166,817 and Minter had 139,253. Former baseball player Bill Lee had 8,912 votes, or 2.8 percent.
Before being elected governor, Scott served three terms as lieutenant governor and five terms in the Vermont Senate.
Scott, 60, previously owned a construction business, Dubois Construction, which he sold after taking office. An ethics commission has said his continuing relationship with the company is unethical because the company continues to do business with the state. Scott is being paid $2.5 million over time by the company for his half ownership interest.
Scott outraised Hallquist in the 2018 race, pulling in $670,000 to Hallquist’s more than $500,000. The spending paled in comparison to the 2016 race, when the seat was open. Candidates and outside groups spent more than $13 million in 2016.
The governor has opposed new taxes and fees, and has been an outspoken critic of school spending levels in Vermont. Scott has also played the anti-Trump card, opposing many policies of the president. Angering his base, he signed several controversial gun control measures into law earlier this year.
Hallquist highlighted the need for broadband service in rural communities to spur economic growth and supported a $15-an-hour minimum wage and paid family leave, measures Scott vetoed during his first term.
Turnout was reported strong in many areas throughout the day. Rain fell in several locations.
According to the secretary of state, as of Tuesday morning, 68,959 voters had cast early and absentee ballots. That is more than double who voted early in 2014, 33,401.
Republican National Committeeman Jay Shephard told the crowd at the Doubletree by Hilton (formerly the Sheraton) to “don’t be afraid” to be a Republican.
He told the Republicans to stay strong even if the party suffered through a tough night.
“If not tonight then two years from now. If not two years from now, then two years after that,” Shepard said.
Some Democrats at the polls on Tuesday said they were supporting Scott over Hallquist, praising the governor in particular for his decision to sign legislation to restrict the state’s gun laws.
Scott moved to sign the gun bills in April, after facing widespread opposition from his party, and second amendment rights advocates. Scott entered office in 2016 as a fierce opponent of gun control, but pivoted on the issue after law enforcement reported thwarting a mass shooting in Fair Haven last February.
“I vote mostly Democratic, but I kind of like what Phil Scott has been doing,” said Corey Williams, a voter in St. Albans said. In 2016, Williams voted for Scott’s Democratic challenger, Sue Minter. He cast a ballot for Scott this year, in large part because of the governor’s decision to “[stand] up” on gun control, he said.
Other Democrats voted for Hallquist, attracted to her progressive policy proposals.
“I like what Scott’s done, but I identify more with [Christine’s] values,” Asia Roque of St. Albans said. Hallquist’s proposal to institute a Medicare-for-all health care program convinced her to vote for the Democrat, she said.
Cindy Felisko, a Democrat, said she voted blue in every race with the exception of the gubernatorial contest.
She felt confident in Scott, she said, because he’s an established politician, who knows how Montpelier works.
“I just kind of feel like he’s done his job and that he’s doing OK,” she said. “If
somebody hasn’t really screwed up, then why get rid of them.”
