Primary Preview: Meet the Republicans running for US House

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Three Vermonters are seeking the Republican nomination for the state’s lone congressional seat.

There’s been a lot of focus on the contested Democratic primary this election cycle, but there’s also a contested primary for the GOP: Ericka Redic, Anya Tynio and Liam Madden want your vote.

In the leadup to the August primaries, there’s consultant Anya Tynio from Charleston. She unsuccessfully ran for Congress twice before.

Tynio describes herself as conservative and says she wants to advocate for the needs of Vermont.

“Affordability, constitutional rights, parental rights, making sure Vermont has economic growth instead of stagnation, helping our young people stay in the state,” Tynio said.

Ericka Redic is an accountant from Burlington and runs a podcast called “Generally Irritable.” She considered running as a Libertarian and wants to focus on schools, crime and cutting regulatory red tape.

If elected, Redic says she’d vote against omnibus legislation and cut back on excess government spending.

“So much of the problems and the struggles and the devastation we’re seeing is actually caused and brought on by the government making these decisions,” Redic said.

Then there’s Liam Madden, an Iraq War veteran turned antiwar advocate. He now works in the solar industry. We interviewed him on the job this week from a roof in Wilmington.

He’s running in the GOP primary though he calls himself an independent. He says there is less money in that race and he needs to reach fewer voters to win.

But he says his real goal is to break Vermont’s political mold and rethink the two-party system.

“We know it drives us apart and is controlled by elites, so we need ways for the people to bypass politicians when they are not listening to us. So, I think there are realistic and credible ways to do that with technology and structural changes that we need,” Madden said.

With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe vs. Wade, abortion could become an issue in Congress. Redic and Tynio say they are both pro-life. Tynio has said she would support a federal abortion ban whereas Redic says it should be left up to the states.

Madden says he’s pro-choice and would support a compromise where after fetal viability, abortion should be left up to the states.

As for the 2020 election, Madden and Redic acknowledge there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud and say Joe Biden won the election.

“As far as I can tell, nothing has been proven,” Redic said.

Tynio says the jury is still out on the 2020 election.

“I think we inaugurated Joe Biden as president and he’s sitting in the White House currently, so that’s kind of a moot point,” she said.

All three recognize the climb ahead. Vermont has not sent a Republican to Congress since the late ‘80s and Vermonters tend to elect more moderate Republicans.

But Redic and Tynio say it’s time for a change.

“They’ve had one-party rule for a long time and, unfortunately, we’re not better off for it,” Tynio said.

Early voting is currently underway. The primary is on Aug. 9.

Molly Gray, Becca Balint, Sianay Chase Clifford and Louis Meyers are running for the Democratic nomination.

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