Wednesday, November 9, 2016
The House’s current composition includes 85 Democrats, 53 Republicans, six Progressives and six independents. Next term, if all current results hold, the chamber will include 84 Democrats, 52 Republicans, seven Progressives and seven independents.
Recounts are likely in several close races, including Windsor-Orange-1, where Rep. Sarah Buxton (D-Tunbridge) was leading Royalton Republican David Ainsworth by just three votes — 1,003 to 1,000. Six years ago, Buxton beat Ainsworth, then the incumbent, by a single vote.
Among the incumbents who appeared to lose reelection races this year — again, assuming current leads hold steady — were Reps. Steve Berry (D-Manchester), Joanna Cole (D-Burlington), Paul Dame (R-Essex Junction), Joey Purvis (R-Colchester), Larry Fiske (R-Enosburgh), Avram Patt (D-Worcester), Susan Hatch Davis (P-West Topsham) and Patsy French (D-Randolph).
Here are preliminary results of some of the most competitive districts:
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Democrats and Progressives appeared to pick up two seats in the state's upper chamber, giving them 23 out of 30. But Republicans successfully fended off a challenge in Franklin County, where they were defending two seats.
The biggest shock of the night came in Washington County, where Sen. Bill Doyle (R-Washington) fell to former Democratic representative and sergeant-at-arms Francis Brooks. Doyle, 90, has served in the Senate since 1969. A political science professor at Johnson State College, he is known throughout Vermont for the annual "Doyle Poll" he administers every March on Town Meeting Day.
With all 20 of the county's precincts reporting early Wednesday, Brooks led Doyle 13,685 to 13,498 votes for the third seat in the district. Incumbent Sens. Ann Cummings (D-Washington) and Anthony Pollina (P/D-Washington) won the other two seats, with 17,008 and 15,207 votes, respectively.
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A grinning Scott took the stage around 11:30 p.m. at a Vermont Republican Party gathering at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel in South Burlington.
“I can’t believe we’re here tonight,” Scott told a ballroom full of jubilant supporters — his wife, mother and two daughters by his side. “You know, 20 years ago I didn’t have a political bone in my body. To say this blue-collar kid from Barre never expected this to happen is an understatement.”
Minutes earlier, he’d received a phone call from Minter, a former transportation secretary in the Shumlin administration, conceding the hard-fought race.
“She thanked me for the campaign we ran and wished me the best as the next governor of Vermont,” the governor-elect said.
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Zuckerman, a 45-year-old organic farmer from Hinesburg, led Republican Randy Brock of Swanton 50.3 percent to 43.9 percent early Wednesday morning with nearly every precinct reporting. Liberty Union candidate Boots Wardinski of Newbury took 2.2 percent of the vote.
Despite having spent most of his political life in the Vermont Progressive Party, Zuckerman won the Democratic primary in August, defeating House Speaker Shap Smith (D-Morristown). He gave a triumphant speech Tuesday night to a Vermont Democratic Party gathering at the Hilton Burlington, as it became clear that his lead over Brock would hold.
Earlier in the evening, Zuckerman addressed fellow Progressives at the Skinny Pancake in Burlington.
“I think one of the reasons I’m winning this race is because working people, who have been getting more and more productive, aren’t getting their fair shake of the economic pie, and that’s what I’ve been talking about out there,” Zuckerman said. “So whether it’s racial injustice, economic injustice, environmental injustice, these are the issues that Vermonters care about and this is what’s made it possible for apparently me to maybe be the next lieutenant governor of the state of Vermont.”
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Tuesday, November 8, 2016
About 54 percent voted in favor — compared to 46 percent against — of question 3, which asked residents to establish a downtown zoning change that will allow buildings up to 160 feet tall — about 14 stories. On question 4, which asked for $21.8 million in tax increment financing for street improvements in and around the district, 59 percent of voters said "yes" while 41 percent said "no."
Both were instrumental for developer Don Sinex, who wants to get started on a $250 million redevelopment of the mall. Sinex, who proposed the makeover two years ago, thanked his supporters for getting the measures passed.
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The Middlesex Democrat, who first won office in the post-Watergate year of 1974, defeated Pomfret Republican Scott Milne 60 to 33 percent. The AP called the race at 6:59 p.m., just a moment before polls closed in Vermont.
Around 8:20 p.m., Leahy, wife Marcelle and several of their grandchildren took to the stage of the Hilton Burlington as the Grateful Dead’s “Truckin’” played on the P.A.
“It has been a long strange trip, to quote Jerry Garcia,” the senator told a crowd of jubilant Democrats.
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The Associated Press called Vermont for Clinton at 6:59 p.m. — just before polls closed around the state — making it the first in the nation to land in the Democrat's column.
The outcome in Vermont was never in doubt. The state has not backed a Republican presidential candidate since 1988, when then-vice president George H.W. Bush defeated Massachusetts' Democratic governor, Michael Dukakis. Though Trump narrowly won Vermont's presidential primary election in March, he never came within 25 points of Clinton in state general-election polling.
With nearly every precinct reporting early Wednesday, Clinton was leading Trump in Vermont 56.3 to 30 percent. Nearly 6.5 percent wrote in another option — many, presumably, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Libertarian Gary Johnson took 3 percent of the vote and Green Party nominee Jill Stein 2 percent.
Over the past year, a series of prominent Vermont Republicans distanced themselves from Trump, saying they would write in other candidates for president. Those included Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, who would go on to win the governor's race Tuesday, lieutenant gubernatorial nominee Randy Brock, U.S. Senate nominee Scott Milne and the party's legislative leaders, Sen. Joe Benning (R-Caledonia) and Rep. Don Turner (R-Milton). On Tuesday, Scott said he'd decided in the end to cast his presidential ballot for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who came in a close second to Trump in Vermont's presidential primary.
Vermont played an outsized role in the early months of the 2016 presidential election, when home-state Sen. Sanders mounted a spirited campaign to seize the Democratic nomination from Clinton. But after Sanders endorsed Clinton in July, the state largely dropped off the presidential map.
Clinton did not once campaign in Vermont, while Trump held a single rally at Burlington's Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in January.
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Election Night Liveblog
Governor's race
- Gubernatorial Hopefuls Minter and Scott Come From Different Worlds — Sorta, by Terri Hallenbeck
- Your Choice: Democrats Drag Scott Into a Fight Over Abortion, by Paul Heintz
- Phil Scott: Bruised and Battered or Road-Tested? by Terri Hallenbeck
- 'A Girl in the Race'? Sue Minter Weighs a Run for Governor, by Terri Hallenbeck
- On the Field With Bill Lee, Red Sox Legend and Vermont Gubernatorial Candidate, by Dan Bolles
Lieutenant Governor's race
- LG Candidate David Zuckerman Vexes Voters With Vax Stance, by Terri Hallenbeck
- Skin in the Game: Racism in Vermont and the Race for LG, by Paul Heintz
- The Odd Couple: Starch-Shirted Brock, Ponytailed Zuckerman Vie for LG, by Terri Hallenbeck
U.S. Senate race
- Sarcasm Trumps Substance as Milne and Leahy Debate at VPR, by Paul Heintz
- Scott Milne's Senate Campaign Is as Unorthodox as It Is Low-Key, by Mark Davis
- Forty-Two Years a Senator: Has Leahy Served Long Enough? by Paul Heintz
- Milne Wavers on Presidential Pick After Release of Lewd Trump Tape, by Paul Heintz
U.S. House race
- Welch Says He Won't Run for Governor, by Terri Hallenbeck and Paul Heintz
- Peter Welch Backs Sanders Over Clinton for President, by Terri Hallenbeck
Down-ballot races
- Seeing Red? Once-Dem Franklin County Is a Political Battleground, by Terri Hallenbeck
- Election Got You Down? How About Some Porch Berries? by Paul Heintz
Local ballot questions
- Ballot Battle Pits Weinberger Against Activists — Again, by Sasha Goldstein
- Voters in Burlington, SoBu Face Complicated TIF Decisions, by Molly Walsh
- Tensions Run High in Windham Over Wind Vote, by Terri Hallenbeck
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As they noshed on egg salad sandwiches and carrot ginger soup just a few blocks from Montpelier's polling place, many of the regulars said they didn't think the presidential election, despite all the attention it has received, mattered much.
To spend a couple hours in the church basement was to be reminded that despite the omnipresent election hullabaloo, not everyone votes. Nationally, less than 60 percent of eligible voters participated in 2012.
"I know foreign policy is important, but it's hard to hear and think about abstract [issues] when you're worried about freezing to death, or your friend's tent is leaking," said Dawn Little, when asked about voting. She's a regular attendee who has toggled between homelessness and living in an apartment.
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The sale is subject to approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Vermont Public Service Board. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2018.
"By accelerating decommissioning, we are fulfilling a commitment we made in 2013 to decommission Vermont Yankee as soon as reasonably possible," said Bill Mohl, president of Entergy Wholesale Commodities, in a statement.
"Decommissioning and site restoration, drawing on NorthStar's expertise, will provide economic development for the region."
NorthStar and its partners specialize in demolition, wrecking and asbestos abatement. The group has dismantled and remediated at least 300 nuclear and nonnuclear power plants over the past 15 years.
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