Vt. House Speaker Johnson falls short in recount

SOUTH HERO, Vt. (WCAX) - It’s official -- Vermont House Speaker Mitzi Johnson, D-South Hero, has lost her re-election bid by 23 votes to Republican Michael Morgan.

Morgan picked up three votes in the recount Friday of the two-seat Grand Isle-Chittenden race after Johnson narrowly lost by 18 votes on Election Day. The nine-term incumbent’s loss means that House Democrats will have to select a new speaker for the coming session. They will vote on a new speaker in two weeks and will likely select Representative Jill Krowinksi, D-Burlington, the current House Majority Leader.

The full House will elect its next speaker in January.