VT-Gov 2020: Lt. Governor Zuckerman planning to run

[KaiserDave]

As Atlas's resident Phil Scott fanatic, I 100% endorse Phil.

Zuckerman is the only candidate however, who doesn't make this Safe R.

With him it is Lean R. But Phil will win.

Let's not forget he beat a Democrat with national attention in a blue wave year in Vermont by double digits, and by a bigger margin then against a local Dem in 2016.

King. Phil.

[KaiserDave]

White Liberals for Moderate FF Republican

If you are as engrossed in Vermont politics as I am, there are legitimate policy reasons to support Phil.

[KaiserDave]

Seems to be a good man, but I'm rooting for Governor Phil Scott and would vote for him. He leads the state with pragmatism, is moderate and scandal-free. No need to replace him.

Found your reason to replace him. I don't care how moderate the Republican is, a progressive Democrat will always be better. Period.

Idiocy. Period. (A lot of "progressive Democrats" are as fanatical, intolerant and dumb to the core as their right-wing opponents. The ONLY difference - they are left-wing idiots, not right-wing)

Are you really implying centrists/moderates are smarter than ideologies? Because the centrists I think of that come to mind in both parties (Van Drew, Manchin, Collins, Coons) come across as far dumber than ideologues like Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Adam Schiff, Warren, and DeSantis, just to name a few

On topic though, this will probably be a good race. Phil Scott’s victory was kind of unimpressive in 2018 when you consider he ran against a complete rando.

A rando who got national media coverage and was in a blue wave year

This take is flying out of the oven


Phil won’t lose

[KaiserDave]

I have a feeling few people here actually get the nuances of VT politics.

[KaiserDave]

Yawn

[KaiserDave]

Scott has not yet announced his intention to run, though everyone expects that he will.

At least Zuckerman makes it a contest worth watching. Holcombe is an empty suit.

Agreed, Zuckerman will certainly put Phil on his toes. But it's the only guy who really has a shot, well, what's your thoughts on AG Donovan?

[KaiserDave]

Scott has not yet announced his intention to run, though everyone expects that he will.

At least Zuckerman makes it a contest worth watching. Holcombe is an empty suit.

Agreed, Zuckerman will certainly put Phil on his toes. But it's the only guy who really has a shot, well, what's your thoughts on AG Donovan?

More with it than most of the Democrats here. Really unimpressed with the goofball leadership in the state legislature who couldn't pass paid family leave or retail marijuana in the last session despite supermajorities in both houses. And the Burlington City Council is a total freak show.

Is that more due to Democratic majority being incompetent or smart moves by P H I L?

[KaiserDave]

Any way we could get this merged into a bigger Vermont politics megathread, I'd quite enjoy that.

[KaiserDave]

Apparently nobody knows anything about actual issues and important people in Vermont

Stop trying to nationalize this, this applies to everybody left, right, or centre

[KaiserDave]

If Democrats waste a single dollar here they are complete morons. Defeating Scott achieves literally nothing (no redistricting, Dem supermajorities, special election in 90 days if either Senator resigns/dies) and that's money that could be used in endless Senate races or competitive gubernatorial ones (such as the state next door where getting rid of Sununu so he can't run for Senate in 2022 should be imperative).

Because change clearly doesn't achieve anything at all. Oh wait that's exactly what would happen if Zuckerman won. Apparently having a "FF" moderate is more important to some people, than getting progressive change done.

Getting reasonable "FF" moderate is really more important for some people, then getting unreasonable (to put it mildly) "bold progressive"....

What is and what is not reasonable is a subjective thing, so calling progressives "unreasonable" as a whole is a mischaracterisation(to put it mildly. Tell me what is unreasonable about wanting the US, or in this case Vermont to be more like the rest of the developed world? But no clearly it's more important to have reasonable moderate "heroes" like Phil Scott, who only want to incrementally improve the lives of the citizens they govern, rather than someone who will drastically improve the lives of the citizens they govern through the popular policies they advocate. Apparently wanting the US to be more like the rest of the developed world is somehow bad?

What matters is getting the best candidate for one thing

Governing Vermont

This is about Vermont issues and the people of Vermont. These issues may not necessarily be the same as national ones, and there’s several layers of nuance in state and local politics.

This goes to everyone
Stop nationalizing this

[KaiserDave]

"Reasonable and moderate" is an awfully appealing message in a state where elected officials attempt things like taking guns away from all cops or building a new $200 million high school with an indoor track because they need to accommodate a few dozen additional students.

Or when "reasonable and moderate" has made the state easier to move to and live in.

[KaiserDave]

Go Phil!

[KaiserDave]

If Democrats waste a single dollar here they are complete morons. Defeating Scott achieves literally nothing (no redistricting, Dem supermajorities, special election in 90 days if either Senator resigns/dies) and that's money that could be used in endless Senate races or competitive gubernatorial ones (such as the state next door where getting rid of Sununu so he can't run for Senate in 2022 should be imperative).

Because change clearly doesn't achieve anything at all. Oh wait that's exactly what would happen if Zuckerman won. Apparently having a "FF" moderate is more important to some people, than getting progressive change done.

Getting reasonable "FF" moderate is really more important for some people, then getting unreasonable (to put it mildly) "bold progressive"....

What is and what is not reasonable is a subjective thing, so calling progressives "unreasonable" as a whole is a mischaracterisation(to put it mildly. Tell me what is unreasonable about wanting the US, or in this case Vermont to be more like the rest of the developed world? But no clearly it's more important to have reasonable moderate "heroes" like Phil Scott, who only want to incrementally improve the lives of the citizens they govern, rather than someone who will drastically improve the lives of the citizens they govern through the popular policies they advocate. Apparently wanting the US to be more like the rest of the developed world is somehow bad?

What matters is getting the best candidate for one thing

Governing Vermont

This is about Vermont issues and the people of Vermont. These issues may not necessarily be the same as national ones, and there’s several layers of nuance in state and local politics.

This goes to everyone
Stop nationalizing this

Just curious, didn't Scott seek to stop marijuana legalization there by vetoing such a bill just two years ago? I mean yes, he signed a bill a year later when it was clear the legislature had a veto-proof majority, but not encouraging.

What is his view on paid parental leave anyway?

He's introduced a plan with Sununu (who's nowhere near as good but I digress) to provide medical and parental leave insurance policies to both states, not yet adopted though. I don't know. He supports it in theory.

[KaiserDave]

I look forward to the reaction the Philslide 2.0 occurs

Oh it'll be beautiful

[KaiserDave]

Imagine thinking this is Lean R

[KaiserDave]

Imagine thinking this is Lean R

sorry he's about to be ZUCCed

Laughable, Philslide is inevitable
Oh I don’t think so

[KaiserDave]

Imagine thinking this is Lean R

sorry he's about to be ZUCCed

Laughable, Philslide is inevitable
Oh I don’t think so

Imagine thinking this race being any higher than Lean R.

Imagine being this ignorant of Vermont politics

[KaiserDave]

I have a feeling few people here actually get the nuances of VT politics.

To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Vermont. The politics are extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of historical precinct data most of the elections will go over a typical observer's head. There's also Phil Scott's moderate outlook, which is deftly woven into his characterisation - his personal philosophy draws heavily from Rockefeller Republican literature, for instance. The Vermonters understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these elections, to realize that they're not just important to Vermont- they say something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike Vermont politics truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn't appreciate, for instance, the humour in Phil Scott's existential catchphrase "Listen, Learn, Lead," which itself is a cryptic reference to Olympia Snowe's political epic Fighting for Common Ground. I'm smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as Phil Scott's genius unfolds itself on their NYT results pages. What fools... how I pity them. 😂 And yes by the way, I DO have a Phil Scott tattoo. And no, you cannot see it. It's for the ladies' eyes only- And even they have to demonstrate that they've analyzed within 5 Vermont elections of myself (preferably lower) beforehand.

This but unironically

[KaiserDave]

That copypasta prompts a thought: I don't know if anyone has exit polled the recent gubernatorial races here, but, speaking anecdotally, Phil Scott is a huge hit with all kinds of women over 40. That's no small part of his success.

It might not work in every state, but running a culturally moderate, non-threatening, conventionally handsome man will become an increasingly potent strategy for Republicans looking to cut into the unfavorable side of the gender gap.

As I've repeatedly screamed at everyone I know, but apparently "Most Handsome Governor" is not a title that most "people" care about. Sad.

[KaiserDave]

That copypasta prompts a thought: I don't know if anyone has exit polled the recent gubernatorial races here, but, speaking anecdotally, Phil Scott is a huge hit with all kinds of women over 40. That's no small part of his success.

It might not work in every state, but running a culturally moderate, non-threatening, conventionally handsome man will become an increasingly potent strategy for Republicans looking to cut into the unfavorable side of the gender gap.

As I've repeatedly screamed at everyone I know, but apparently "Most Handsome Governor" is not a title that most "people" care about. Sad.

Gavin Newsom would like a word.

This calls for another thread

[KaiserDave]

Zuckerman tying himself to Sanders big time, spending most of his time just campaigning for him

Sound strategy though

[KaiserDave]

Zuckerman needs to win this year so he can be a presidential candidate in 2024.

Interesting leap (Vermont Progressive Dynasty lol), also noting that you don't think Bernie will go for another term

Also I don't think that is in the cards for him

[KaiserDave]

Zuckerman needs to win this year so he can be a presidential candidate in 2024.

Interesting leap (Vermont Progressive Dynasty lol), also noting that you don't think Bernie will go for another term

Also I don't think that is in the cards for him

The next national progressive leader will come out of Vermont, quote me on it.

Definitely a prediction to watch


(Ethan Sonneborn? I kid I kid)

[KaiserDave]

Zuckerman needs to win this year so he can be a presidential candidate in 2024.

Interesting leap (Vermont Progressive Dynasty lol), also noting that you don't think Bernie will go for another term

Also I don't think that is in the cards for him

The next national progressive leader will come out of Vermont, quote me on it.

Definitely a prediction to watch


(Ethan Sonneborn? I kid I kid)

I mean it's just a pure numbers game. Their Washington delegation is 72, 78, and 79, there's a target in the governors seat, and Vermont has a vibrant diversity in their left-wing politicians beliefs. Far easier to believe someone will come out of here than the entrenched  multifactional politics of CA, NY, or HI for instance.   

I hope so! I prefer ol'country politics to big city machines anyway

[KaiserDave]

This is potentially relevant to senate control if Sanders is on the ticket. 

This.... Is actually a really good point. Now I may be just some Midwestern City Slicker ignorant of how they do things up there in the land of dairy and hippies, but yeah I can see that suddenly nationalizing the f*** out of that race.

I think they have a swift senate election, so Glorious Phil's appointment wouldn't matter all that much. But I don't think it would be that competitive unless Phil himself ran. Which is quite unlikely.