[G]ov. Phil Scott said Wednesday that he will not decide whether he will seek a third term in office until next spring, after the 2020 legislative session.
Scott was reelected to a second term in November, and would need to campaign for office again in 2020, if he wanted to serve for another two years.
But responding to questions from reporters about his plans in recent weeks, the governor has said it’s too early to make any decisions or announcements.
“It was just five or six months ago that I was sworn into office, I think I’m going to let that ride out a little longer,” Scott said on Wednesday.
“Any decision will come after the legislative session. I think it’s just way too early,” he said.
Questions about Scott’s plans come as high profile Vermont Democrats are weighing runs for the governor’s office in 2020.
VTDigger reported last week that both Attorney General TJ Donovan, a Democrat, and Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, a Progressive/Democrat, are both considering gubernatorial bids next year.
Neither have made decisions on the possible runs.
Many Democrats expect that Scott will seek a third term and believe that running a strong candidate against him in a year in which President Donald Trump is on the ballot could provide the party a major advantage.
The last time Scott officially announced he was seeking reelection — May 2018 — he also waited until after lawmakers had adjourned.
However, former Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin announced in June of 2015 — the year before the 2016 election — that he would not seek a fourth term in office.
