The Deeper Dig is a biweekly podcast from the VTDigger newsroom, hosted and produced by Sam Gale Rosen. Listen below, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Vermont’s primary election is Aug. 11. On this week’s podcast, VTDigger’s politics team discusses the dynamics of this year’s major races. Two prominent Democratic candidates, David Zuckerman and Rebecca Holcombe, are facing off for the gubernatorial nomination, while Gov. Phil Scott’s challengers on the Republican ticket are relatively unknown. Whoever wins the Democratic primary would have a steep climb to beat Scott who enjoys bipartisan support for his administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The open lieutenant governor seat has attracted a crowded field of challengers, including two high-profile Democrats in unusual positions: Molly Gray, in her first run for office, has been embraced by the state’s Democratic establishment, while experienced Senate leader Tim Ashe has adopted an outsider’s role as a Progressive Democrat. Brenda Siegel, an advocate for low-income Vermonters, has galvanized support among prominent Progressives, and Debbie Ingram, a Democratic state senator, has had a strong showing in debates where she has taken pot shots at Gray.
Meanwhile, the race for two vacant Senate seats in Chittenden County has brought so many qualified contenders that even incumbents could be at risk of losing their positions. And in Winooski, House candidate Taylor Small sees a path to becoming the state’s first openly transgender lawmaker.
Learn more about key races in VTDigger’s 2020 Voter Guide.
