House Speaker Shap Smith and Matt Dunne, a Google executive, both Democrats, have registered paperwork as candidates for governor with the Secretary of State’s office.
The news was first reported by Seven Days columnist Paul Heintz.
Smith plans to make a formal announcement on Aug. 19 in Morrisville.
Smith has served seven terms as a lawmaker, and became speaker in 2009.
On WDEV’s Mark Johnson Show Thursday morning, Smith sidestepped questions about his intentions. The Speaker would only say he didn’t see himself “running for the House again.” Smith registered his candidacy for governor with the Secretary of State on Aug. 11.
“I do plan to make an announcement next Wednesday in Morrisville about what my future plans are,” Smith told Johnson. “I wanted to talk to Vermonters, and spend time talking to family about what the future holds. I want to think deeply about what Vermonters are looking for in their next governor and whether I would have the skill set to do that.
“There’s a feeling within Vermont I think that we could and need to do better, and I wanted to think about whether I could be part of that,” Smith said.
Dunne has also refused to say whether he is running, although he raised $135,000 — more than any other gubernatorial candidate — in the first campaign finance reporting period of the 2016 election cycle (July 15). He registered as a candidate for governor on July 14.
Sue Minter, the secretary of the Agency of Transportation, another Democrat who is considering a run has not yet filed paperwork with the Secretary of State.
Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott has said he is “getting serious” about running. Bruce Lisman, a native Vermonter and former Wall Street executive, is also considering entering the gubernatorial field.
