Scott won reelection but analyst says Siegel made an impact

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - In the race for Vermont governor, Phil Scott will keep his job.

While this isn’t surprising for an incumbent candidate, his challenger still made a mark.

UVM political scientist Alex Garlick says despite Scott’s win, his Democratic competitor, Brenda Siegel, put up a spirited campaign. He says she brought issues to the forefront that other candidates haven’t, like those surrounding Vermonters experiencing homelessness.

“I think her loss reflects less on her and more of just how Phil Scott has really a has a powerful position in the state where he’s he’s barely being challenged. You know, Phil Scott had the fewest yard signs of anyone in and around Burlington, this election and really also didn’t face a challenge within his own party. And so Phil Scott is really the tone setter for the province at this point and it’s hard to see who’s gonna challenge him in the future,” said Garlick.

The governor race occurs every two years, so the Democrats have a chance to put up another race then. But Garlick says Scott remains mostly uncontested, especially with big-name Democrats like Welch and Balint focused on national seats.

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