3 Vermont governors back Republican John Rodgers’ bid for lieutenant governor

John Rodgers, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Vermont, announced the endorsements of the state’s three newest governors — including former Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin — on Wednesday.

Rodgers was already openly supported by the state’s current chief executive, Republican Gov. Phil Scott. But he also has the support of Rodgers, Shumlin and former Republican Gov. Jim Douglas, who is running to unseat the office’s Progressive/Democratic incumbent David Zuckerman, he said in a press release Wednesday.

In the statement, Rodgers’ campaign framed the endorsement as “unprecedented” bipartisan support for a candidate seeking the state’s second-highest office. But Shumlin suggested in an interview Wednesday that party dynamics are “dark.”

The former three-term governor noted that Rodgers identified as a Democrat while serving in the Legislature for nearly two decades, but ran as a Republican when elected. announced his offer for lieutenant governor earlier this year. (Rodgers hesitated to fully embrace He recently said the GOP label was his.) Shumlin also noted how Zuckerman has long been allied with the Vermont Progressive Party.

“Let’s remember that in my view, one of them is a Democrat and the other is a Progressive,” Shumlin said, adding that he thought Rodgers’ message was more in line with a majority of voters in one of this year’s elections. most animation issues – affordability.

“You won’t find a more dedicated, no-nonsense person who understands working Vermonters better than John Rodgers,” Shumlin said. That includes voters who are “common sense,” “hard-working,” “with limited income” and “mindful of their property taxes,” he said.

Shumlin added that Rodgers, who owns a stonemasonry and excavation business, could also “build the straightest, most beautiful stone wall you’ve ever seen.”

Both Zuckerman and Rodgers are also farmers, and the two have clashed repeatedly on the campaign trail. details of their past because they are both trying to appeal to working-class voters.

Like Scott, Rodgers has been deeply critical of the Legislature’s Democratic leadership in debates and other forums this fall. Asked if he shared those sentiments, Shumlin said, “I don’t agree with John Rodgers on everything.”

“It’s not to blame anyone,” he said, referring to his support.

Shumlin’s endorsement comes less than a week before Election Day on Nov. 5. The former governor said Rodgers reached out to him to get his endorsement, and when the two finally connected this week, Shumlin gave him a speech encouraging him to declare his support.

While Shumlin is perhaps the most high-profile Democrat to support Rodgers, Rodgers also has a number of GOP supporters. This includes Rep. Casey Toof, R-St. Albans, who was also Rodgers’ campaign manager, and John Klar, an ardent writer and farmer from Brookfield. waged an intense campaign on culture war issues in the past.

Reached by phone on Wednesday, Zuckerman pointed out: own checklistThey include another former Democratic governor, Madeleine Kunin, as well as prominent environmental activist Bill McKibben. He also highlighted the support of a number of unions, including Conservation Voters of Vermont, an environmental group, and the Vermont State Labor Council, the AFL-CIO.

The lieutenant governor, who is seeking his fourth term this year, also has support from many Democratic leaders in the state House.

Responding to Shumlin’s comments about working voters, Zuckerman said, “I fought long and hard to raise the minimum wage and fight for universal healthcare so that ordinary Vermonters would be better off.”