‘A head-scratcher’: Vermont’s GOP voters nominate a surprising slate of candidates

vtdigger.org ^ | 8/12/22 | Ethan Weinstein

[cotton1706]

Even those who won Vermont’s Republican primary elections on Tuesday say they’re baffled by the results.

In the race for U.S. Senate, GOP voters rejected former U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan, a moderate and institutional favorite, for Gerald Malloy, a Trump-aligned conservative. They nominated Sen. Joe Benning, an anti-Trump centrist, for lieutenant governor, intead of Gregory Thayer, who took part in the protests before the January 6 riots in Washington, D.C. And they turned down two conservative activists, Ericka Redic and Anya Tynio, in favor of a left-leaning independent, Liam Madden.

“It's a head-scratcher to me,” Madden said of finding himself on the GOP ticket alongside Malloy.

Perhaps the biggest upset of the night was Malloy’s defeat of Nolan, though a July poll by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center showed him with a slight lead. Malloy, a West Point graduate and 22-year Army veteran who moved to Vermont just two years ago, won close to 40% of the vote. Nolan, who picked up the endorsements of Gov. Phil Scott and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., garnered just 35%.

Reached Thursday, Malloy struck a unifying tone, saying that moderates like Scott belong in his GOP.

“I see us as one party, and I see us as rallying together for this general election,” Malloy told VTDigger.

But his association with the party’s conservative wing suggests he is not quite a Phil Scott Republican. Which legislators does he admire? Malloy pointed to Rep. Art Peterson, R-Clarendon, and Rep. Vicki Strong, R-Albany, whose endorsement he earned.

[cotton1706]

This was an interesting article. It shows that the electorate is very fluid, and the people are choosing their own representatives, not necessarily who the Establishment would prefer.

And of course McConnell wanted the pro-abortion lesbian for senator. He'd love to have another Jim Jeffords to take away a Republican majority when necessary.

[drSteve78]

Bad vote counting by Dominion

[Jonty30]

It is also an anti-establishment vote and anti-Democrat vote

[OnAMission]

There are a lot of real conservatives in Vermont. The primary is one thing, but then the general is another story. If they took all the temporary Vermont citizens (known as college students) out of the equation liberals would have less of a chance.

[napscoordinator]

Is there any chance of any of them winning?

[Robert DeLong]

Seems that was true only in one race where Malloy beat Nolan, from what I read.

[qaz123]

Vermont is a weird place.

Very redneck, in a good way-rugged people, and Republican on the part of the folks that are actually from there.

Then you have the ski towns that are filled with rich liberals from other places like NYC, that would have you think they should be considered mountain men, except for the Range Rover and All-Wheel Drive Porsche SUV they’re driving.

Then the radical left wing college towns and all the academic staff, while all the maintenance folks are Republicans.

And the state has a really bad pill and opioid problem.

But don’t worry, Soetero dumped a bunch of Syrians in a heavy Republican district years ago. https://www.wfdd.org/story/vermont-town-divided-over-syrian-refugees

[AlaskaErik]

I’m sure in a state like Vermont it doesn’t matter who they nominate, because they won’t win anyway.

[pepsi_junkie]

He'd love to have another Jim Jeffords to take away a Republican majority when necessary.

Brilliant and concise way to describe how Mitch McConnell does things.

[central_va]

Is there any chance of any of them winning?

IMO A better chance than a run-of-the-mill milquetoast RINO.

[Steven Scharf]

They have a Republican governor Phil Scott who according to the article faced little opposition.

[VTenigma]

Easy Peasy, Vermont ballots are listed alphabetically. Republicans just went in and checked boxes. No one expects any Republican to prevail in November.

[napscoordinator]

It’d be nice definitely. Since some blue states have gone red, no reason Vermont can’t.

[cgbg]

If folks are considering moving to Vermont (or NH) the key is elevation (assuming no ski resorts):

The valleys = lefties

The mountains = salt of the earth conservatives

[Mogger]

Don't forget the trust fund hippies who invaded in the 1960s and their spawn.

Plus the weak minded indoctrinated in the "education" system.

[princess leah]

Don’t forget the two dem senators Leahy and Commie Sanders are both old, both have health issues, and both are extreme libs. Think justice from God and hopefully the gov nr could appoint a new senator.