Last November, representatives across Vermont were elected to the Legislature for the first time.
Among them are Democrats, Republicans, Progressives, and independents.
[T]he blue wave that swept Democrats to power in the United States House of Representatives also gave the party a push toward a supermajority in Vermont’s Legislature.
One of the largest crops of first-timers ever headed to Montpelier this year, and most of them will join the Democratic majority. The bolstered numbers will be crucial to efforts by Speaker of the House Mitzi Johnson, D-South Hero, to wrangle the votes needed to pass a $15 minimum wage and a mandatory paid family leave program, both of which are opposed by Gov. Phil Scott.
However, Scott’s re-election was proof that the GOP still has some sway, particularly in rural parts of the state, where a number of new Republicans were also elected to the House.
There is also an emboldened “youth caucus” with a handful of new members under 40 on both sides of the aisle. (Though they are easily outnumbered by the over-the-hill set.)
It’s been widely noted that on the national level, the “blue wave” was driven largely by a “pink wave” in which women won newfound clout in the halls of power. It’s also true that in Vermont, new women lawmakers are mostly Democrats, though the total female representation is about the same. Of the 13 women elected to the House for the first time, 11 are Democrats and/or Progressives. One is a Republican.
Here’s a breakdown of who’s who among the new members (scroll over photos for more information and links to legislator profiles).
Representing Republican strongholds
While Gov. Phil Scott cruised to re-election, the House skewed strongly to the Democratic Party. But in the places where Scott did best, GOP candidates also performed well. Seven of the 10 Republican freshmen were elected in counties the governor carried by at least 60 percent, including Rutland (64 percent pro-Scott), Franklin (69 percent), Caledonia (63 percent), Orleans (65 percent), and Grand Isle (65 percent).
The Youth Caucus
About a third of the newly elected class is under the age of 40. Four of them — Becca White, D-Hartford; Felisha Leffler, R-Enosburg; Lucy Rogers, D-Waterville; and Patrick Seymour, R-Sutton, are under 25.
The influx of young legislators has sparked a move to form a bipartisan Youth Caucus in the House. Of the 19 members of the House that agreed to participate in the group, 11 are freshmen.
Listen to The Deeper Dig episode on the youngest members of the incoming class.
Women in the House
The “pink wave” that led a record number of women elected to the U.S. Congress missed Vermont, a state with already strong female representation in the Legislature. The new members will join the other 46 returning female representatives for a total of 59 women, or 39 percent of the chamber, a decrease of one from the 2016 election.
Scott appointees elected
Two independents and two Republicans who filled seats by appointment of Gov. Phil Scott during the last Legislature won elections to return to the House.
Chris Mattos, R-Milton, appointed in 2017, joined with John Palasik, R-Milton, to keep both Chittenden-10 seats Republican for the fourth straight election. Retired lobbyist Jim Harrison, R-North Chittenden, also kept his seat in Rutland County.
