The liberals that hijacked the VT GOP. The seminal moment was in 1956 when they told the Conservative female Lt Governor and former House Speaker Consuelo Bailey, she would not be allowed to run for Governor. Since that point, there was only one remotely Conservative individual to ever win the Governorship, and that was Deane Davis (1969-73).
It actually helps the GOP in Vermont that there are three parties, the GOP, the Dems, and the Progressives. The latter two have enabled the GOP to win the top two jobs in the state since 2004.
In an unrelated stance is there any chance the GOP lt gov is going to win on his own the governorship?