The head of Vermont’s second-largest utility plans to leave her post on March 1st to focus on her campaign to unseat Governor Phil Scott, a first-term Republican. Christine Hallquist first faces a Democratic primary in August. She says that Vermont is being threatened by policies from Washington that must be addressed.
"We’re looking at cuts in Medicaid, Medicare and LIHEAP. And of course Vermont has always been committed to try and get everybody covered with health care and of course that puts pressure on our financials. And then the other part is our whole culture itself. You know we’ve seen in Vermont over the past month we’ve seen white supremacists popping up in many places. We’ve actually arrested somebody, one kid, because he luckily we caught him before he caused violence in our Fair Haven school. So Vermont needs a strong leader and I’m a strong leader."
Hallquist is expected to face Lake Champlain International Executive Director James Ehlers and 13-year-old Ethan Sonneborn of Bristol in the August Democratic primary. Republican Governor Phil Scott has not announced his re-election plans, but is expected to seek a second term. Vermont does not have an age requirement for gubernatorial candidates.
