Incumbent Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, who won Tuesday's Democratic primary, will face off against Republican candidate former state Sen. John Rogers in November.
Zuckerman defeated Thomas Renner in Tuesday's Democratic primary. The Associated Press reported the Democratic results shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday night. As of 10:15 p.m., incomplete results showed Zuckerman with about 60% of the vote and Renner with about 40%.
“I didn't expect to see results so quickly,” Zuckerman said in a phone interview Tuesday evening. “I've been working hard on a lot of issues for people across the state, and thankfully, I think it's helped.”
Zuckerman is currently serving his third non-consecutive term as Lieutenant Governor and co-owns and operates an organic farm in Hinesburg.
He was first elected lieutenant governor in 2016 after serving two decades as a state representative. Zuckerman ran an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Republican Gov. Phil Scott in 2020 and was re-elected as lieutenant governor in 2022 after Molly Gray resigned from the governor's office to run in the Democratic primary for the House of Representatives.
About 20 minutes after Zuckerman declared victory, the Associated Press declared Rogers the winner of the Republican race. As of about 10:15 p.m., incomplete results showed Rogers with about 61% of the vote, compared with his opponent, Gregory Thayer, with about 39%.
“I'm glad we got the decision,” Rogers said in a phone interview after being informed of the win. “It feels great.”
Rodger, of West Grover, is a former Democrat in the state Legislature, having served in the House for eight years and the Senate for eight years. Rodger runs a masonry and excavation business and also operates a hemp and marijuana farm.
Rogers lost his Vermont Senate seat in 2020 after missing the deadline to file and trying to run by write-in ballot, and he also ran an unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign against Scott in the 2018 Democratic primary after Scott, a moderate Republican, signed gun control legislation.
Rogers, who received Scott's endorsement this year, ran as a Republican because he believes the Democratic Party has moved too far to the left.
The lieutenant governor's position is largely ceremonial, but he presides over the Senate and takes control of the executive branch if the governor is unable to do his job. The position also provides a forum for issues, and housing affordability is likely to be a big issue for both Rogers and Zuckerman in this election.
“The Democratic Party has moved so far to the left and been taken over by progressives, it no longer represents the working class, the average Vermonter,” Rogers said Tuesday night. “The cost of living that they're forcing on people is unsustainable.”
Zuckerman said Tuesday night he was looking forward to a lively campaign debate with Rogers, his former Senate colleague.
“There's a lot of legitimate frustration out there,” Zuckerman said. “Vermont's political establishment has been hard on working class people, but the wealthy aren't doing enough.”
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