Vermont Megathread

[smoltchanov]

https://twitter.com/GovHowardDean/status/1354773412753903622

:eyes:

Well, i have always said that partisan foolishness  (and even idiocy) has no limits. In BOTH parties and among BOTH types of partisans. One more confirmation of that....

[KaiserDave]

What ever happen to the 14 year old that got 8% of the d primary vote

Not much apparently.

[KaiserDave]

War in the VTGOP!

https://vtdigger.org/2021/02/02/a-wide-open-wound-capitol-riots-test-the-vermont-republican-party/


The VTGOP is at war with itself, Xander Landen of the VTDigger writes. There are essentially three factions. The Trumpists who are demanding a fully cult-ized state party, and who want Phil Scott out, the Philists who want Deb Billado out for not condemning the Trump insurrection and for being an all around Trump hack. Then there's the third camp of mushy moderates who want everyone to stay and calm down.

Local parties at at each others throat, Burlington GOP Chair, 19 year old Kolby LaMarche called for Billado's resignation. In response, at least three prominent Burlington GOP members want him out. Of course the Essex County GOP is the most aggressively pro-Trump, and has circulated the petition (now with 1,600 signatories) to get Phil out of the party. There are deep divisions within the VTGOP, between those primarily loyal to Phil, and those primarily loyal to Trump. And this fight has happened before.

https://vtdigger.org/2018/12/04/gop-committee-member-says-moderates-planning-revolt-leadership/

In 2018 the Philists attempted to seize power from Billado, but Trumpists successfully rallied by attacking Scott for opposing Kavanaugh and for making the party a "laughing stock at the national level" by moving it to the center.

We'll see who wins this time. If the Trumpist Right wins, it could have a major impact on Scott's 2022 calculations and political career.

[GALeftist]

War in the VTGOP!

https://vtdigger.org/2021/02/02/a-wide-open-wound-capitol-riots-test-the-vermont-republican-party/


The VTGOP is at war with itself, Xander Landen of the VTDigger writes. There are essentially three factions. The Trumpists who are demanding a fully cult-ized state party, and who want Phil Scott out, the Philists who want Deb Billado out for not condemning the Trump insurrection and for being an all around Trump hack. Then there's the third camp of mushy moderates who want everyone to stay and calm down.

Local parties at at each others throat, Burlington GOP Chair, 19 year old Kolby LaMarche called for Billado's resignation. In response, at least three prominent Burlington GOP members want him out. Of course the Essex County GOP is the most aggressively pro-Trump, and has circulated the petition (now with 1,600 signatories) to get Phil out of the party. There are deep divisions within the VTGOP, between those primarily loyal to Phil, and those primarily loyal to Trump. And this fight has happened before.

https://vtdigger.org/2018/12/04/gop-committee-member-says-moderates-planning-revolt-leadership/

In 2018 the Philists attempted to seize power from Billado, but Trumpists successfully rallied by attacking Scott for opposing Kavanaugh and for making the party a "laughing stock at the national level" by moving it to the center.

We'll see who wins this time. If the Trumpist Right wins, it could have a major impact on Scott's 2022 calculations and political career.

I am just scratching my head at this whole thing. I mean, surely they realize they have no hope of power without Phil types, right? What is the endgame here?

[KaiserDave]

Yeah it's confusing. Especially people saying, apparently genuinely, that they think they'd win more if the party went all in on Trumpism. They just appear to be very delusional.

[MaxQue]

Yeah it's confusing. Especially people saying, apparently genuinely, that they think they'd win more if the party went all in on Trumpism. They just appear to be very delusional.

You know, if you remove the illiegal votes and the votes stolen by Dominion, Trump got 62% in Vermont.

[KaiserDave]

Yeah it's confusing. Especially people saying, apparently genuinely, that they think they'd win more if the party went all in on Trumpism. They just appear to be very delusional.

You know, if you remove the illiegal votes and the votes stolen by Dominion, Trump got 62% in Vermont.

Liar! He got 97%! How much did Chavez pay you?!?!

[Alcibiades]

Yeah it's confusing. Especially people saying, apparently genuinely, that they think they'd win more if the party went all in on Trumpism. They just appear to be very delusional.

Yeah, you wonder what they see when they look at Phil Scott winning with almost 70% of the vote at the same time as their hero Trump got 30%.

[KaiserDave]

Yeah it's confusing. Especially people saying, apparently genuinely, that they think they'd win more if the party went all in on Trumpism. They just appear to be very delusional.

Yeah, you wonder what they see when they look at Phil Scott winning with almost 70% of the vote at the same time as their hero Trump got 30%.

It's very puzzling just how silly they are being. If they kick Phil out the party will be crippled!

[smoltchanov]

Yeah it's confusing. Especially people saying, apparently genuinely, that they think they'd win more if the party went all in on Trumpism. They just appear to be very delusional.

Yeah, you wonder what they see when they look at Phil Scott winning with almost 70% of the vote at the same time as their hero Trump got 30%.

It's very puzzling just how silly they are being. If they kick Phil out the party will be crippled!

These people are utterly insane. In reality - if they care about party - they must pray for Phil to run as long as he wants, because he is really "the last of Mohican" (Charlie Baker may be the other one). Instead - they call for him to leave the party. Idiots, to use the most "politically correct" word... Most other, that come to my mind, would be immediately deleted by moderators...

[englandrightnow]

It's pretty simple. If Scott runs again, he wins again.

Vermont Dems might as well just save their best candidates for when he retires.

[PSOL]

Is there any reason why the VPP has fallen into irrelevance lately as Republicans expand their margins there? Any change in policy or rhetoric to produce national margins among WWC voters?

[KaiserDave]

Is there any reason why the VPP has fallen into irrelevance lately as Republicans expand their margins there? Any change in policy or rhetoric to produce national margins among WWC voters?

Which places are you referring to in Republicans expanding their margins?

[PSOL]

Is there any reason why the VPP has fallen into irrelevance lately as Republicans expand their margins there? Any change in policy or rhetoric to produce national margins among WWC voters?

Which places are you referring to in Republicans expanding their margins?

Generally rural areas and whatever mess happened in the Gubernatorial election.

[KaiserDave]

Is there any reason why the VPP has fallen into irrelevance lately as Republicans expand their margins there? Any change in policy or rhetoric to produce national margins among WWC voters?

Which places are you referring to in Republicans expanding their margins?

Generally rural areas and whatever mess happened in the Gubernatorial election.

On the presidential level, rural Vermont swung towards Biden big time. In Essex County, which was the only one Trump won, there were townships that Biden got +40% in where Hillary was in the mid 20s. Across the state Biden saw swings in rural areas, mostly in the high single digits or mid teens. Although this is probably still worse than Obama 08 and Obama 12 did in rural areas. This I suppose is just national trends manifesting, although rural areas in Vermont are still predominantly Democratic, and far more Democratic than neighboring New Hampshire, Maine, and New York, never mind the midwest.

As for the governor's race, that had nothing to do with the parties involved (VPP, VTDP, and VTGOP). That was just Phil Scott vs David Zuckerman, and Phil was always going to win, regardless of any strategies the VPP and VTDP may have employed.

[MaxQue]

Is there any reason why the VPP has fallen into irrelevance lately as Republicans expand their margins there? Any change in policy or rhetoric to produce national margins among WWC voters?

Which places are you referring to in Republicans expanding their margins?

Generally rural areas and whatever mess happened in the Gubernatorial election.

In the State Senate, Republicans only won a seat, and it was one where the Democrat incumbent ran as an independent as he missed the filling deadline and ran as an Independent, splitting the vote (such an accident may have been on purpose, he had an opponent in primary and a story for controversial comments, the most recent being proposing banning the use of cell phones by people under the age of 21).

[KaiserDave]

https://vtdigger.org/2021/02/18/burlington-gop-chair-resigns-says-party-hijacked-by-far-right-extremists/

A rising star in the VTGOP, Burlington Party Chair 19 year old Kolby LaMarche has resigned, and left the party due to party leadership not condemning Trump for the insurrection attempt.

Who will be the next casualty of the VTGOP fight?

[smoltchanov]

https://vtdigger.org/2021/02/18/burlington-gop-chair-resigns-says-party-hijacked-by-far-right-extremists/

A rising star in the VTGOP, Burlington Party Chair 19 year old Kolby LaMarche has resigned, and left the party due to party leadership not condoning Trump for the insurrection attempt.

Who will be the next casualty of the VTGOP fight?

Party itself. It's already only "slightly relevant" in the state, and even that  - only because of Phil Scott. Dianne Snelling is out of legislature, Helen Ritchie - well, turned to local politics in South Burlington, AFAIK. Young generation is mostly Democratic (of course you can find some very trumpist youngsters too, but they don't have real future in Vermont politics). Party will soon have nobody, but right-wing ideologues, to run - with predictable results.

[Not Me, Us]

https://vtdigger.org/2021/02/18/burlington-gop-chair-resigns-says-party-hijacked-by-far-right-extremists/

A rising star in the VTGOP, Burlington Party Chair 19 year old Kolby LaMarche has resigned, and left the party due to party leadership not condoning Trump for the insurrection attempt.

Who will be the next casualty of the VTGOP fight?

Do you mean condemn?

Also, the VTGOP is sending itself into perpetual irrelevance. You'd think the fact that Vermont was Biden's best state in 2020 and simultaneously reelected the most moderate GOP elected official in the country would give the party a pretty clear framework to work with, but I guess you can't fix stupid.

[KaiserDave]

https://vtdigger.org/2021/02/18/burlington-gop-chair-resigns-says-party-hijacked-by-far-right-extremists/

A rising star in the VTGOP, Burlington Party Chair 19 year old Kolby LaMarche has resigned, and left the party due to party leadership not condoning Trump for the insurrection attempt.

Who will be the next casualty of the VTGOP fight?

Do you mean condemn?

Also, the VTGOP is sending itself into perpetual irrelevance. You'd think the fact that Vermont was Biden's best state in 2020 and simultaneously reelected the most moderate GOP elected official in the country would give the party a pretty clear framework to work with, but I guess you can't fix stupid.

I do mean condemn, thanks for point that out

[Flyersfan232]

https://vtdigger.org/2021/02/18/burlington-gop-chair-resigns-says-party-hijacked-by-far-right-extremists/

A rising star in the VTGOP, Burlington Party Chair 19 year old Kolby LaMarche has resigned, and left the party due to party leadership not condoning Trump for the insurrection attempt.

Who will be the next casualty of the VTGOP fight?

Do you mean condemn?

Also, the VTGOP is sending itself into perpetual irrelevance. You'd think the fact that Vermont was Biden's best state in 2020 and simultaneously reelected the most moderate GOP elected official in the country would give the party a pretty clear framework to work with, but I guess you can't fix stupid.

unless Phil going to run for senate what point do Phil Scott serve the national gop

[KaiserDave]

https://vtdigger.org/2021/02/18/burlington-gop-chair-resigns-says-party-hijacked-by-far-right-extremists/

A rising star in the VTGOP, Burlington Party Chair 19 year old Kolby LaMarche has resigned, and left the party due to party leadership not condoning Trump for the insurrection attempt.

Who will be the next casualty of the VTGOP fight?

Do you mean condemn?

Also, the VTGOP is sending itself into perpetual irrelevance. You'd think the fact that Vermont was Biden's best state in 2020 and simultaneously reelected the most moderate GOP elected official in the country would give the party a pretty clear framework to work with, but I guess you can't fix stupid.

unless Phil going to run for senate what point do Phil Scott serve the national gop

We're talking about the VTGOP, not the cult

[KaiserDave]

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/03/governors-biden-symposium-470164

Phil was asked about what keeps him worried right now and a big issue the Biden Administration should grapple with in a POLITICO interview. He said

1.
"There are many things that have kept governors up at night these past nine months, but one of the most serious challenges we face is the amount of COVID-related misinformation and denial we see, fueled by online conspiracy theories and fact-free ideological websites."

2. He also spoke about the urgent need for rural broadband. Outlining the need for a New Deal approach to the issue.
"We have faced a similar problem before and must pursue a similar solution. In the early 20th Century, the urban-rural divide was electricity. Recognizing the importance of electrification to the economy and quality of life in rural America, Congress passed the Rural Electrification Act (REA), which helped states like Vermont get to the last mile. Our country needs an REA-type approach to broadband to help grow our economy, which will help states raise revenue organically to invest in other critical areas."
https://twitter.com/GovPhilScott/status/1367157830415908867?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoog...
Here are his words repeated by California Rep Ro Khanna
https://twitter.com/RoKhanna/status/1367095163286396934

He's so great

[KaiserDave]

Wowee. That's a lot of federal aid. Well, that's what you get when both the Budget and Appropriations chairmen are Senators from your state!

[KaiserDave]

https://twitter.com/GovPhilScott/status/1367872511099236355

If it wasn't already abundantly clear Scott has no plans to challenge Leahy.