The trio of Democrats running for Vermont lieutenant governor were in Middlebury this week for a meet the candidates forum.
So far, three Democrats have announced they are running for Vermont’s second-highest office — lieutenant governor — and all three were at the Addison County Democratic Committee Meet the Candidates forum on Wednesday. It was an informal affair, with each candidate speaking and then taking questions before the next candidate stepped up to do the same.
The first Democrat to speak was Molly Gray, the leader of the Vermont Afghan Alliance. She is a former lieutenant governor, having served from 2021 to 2023.
“This is an extremely important position and we know that because just, I think it was what 10 days ago, our Vermont Republican Lieutenant Governor had the tie-breaking vote to send a U.S. attorney to the Vermont Supreme Court. So anyone who thinks this office doesn’t matter — it does! And the coming years of the Trump Administration are going to be the hardest and the most dangerous and we need to have seasoned, experienced strong leadership across the state right now.”
Esther Charlestin ran an unsuccessful campaign for governor in 2024, her first political campaign. She is now seeking the lieutenant governor’s job.
“My intention is to serve as an advocate. My intention is to build relationships. And so as Lieutenant Governor my work will be to ensure every Vermonter has a seat at the table.”
Ryan McLaren has worked in political organizing and served as an aide to Sen. Peter Welch.
“The infrastructure of opportunity that made my life possible has eroded around us. And the systems that made my life possible, the ability for my parents to buy a house, the ability for my parents to send me and my siblings to a public school that they had confidence in, the ability for a kid like me to get the health care I needed when I needed it at a cost my parents could afford, all of that all of those systems are broken. And so I feel this fierce sense of urgency.”
Several themes surfaced during questioning, including education costs and redistricting. Gray was asked how many districts the state should have.
“Who wants to close schools in Vermont? No one I know. We do have to address our educational costs. My question is what about health care? If we don’t address those underlying costs there’s no amount of consolidation ultimately that’s going to lower costs in the long run.”
Charlestin was asked how redistricting should be accomplished across Vermont.
“Getting folks engaged in the process is so important and helping them feel empowered.”
McLaren was asked how he would interact with the legislature to address the education crisis.
“Much of our challenge in the conversation on public education is adult problems. Our own sense of nostalgia, our own sense of fear. And if we can focus on outcomes for children then I think we can solve some of them.”
The candidates were also quizzed about how well they would be able to work with Republican Gov. Phil Scott. Charlestin was optimistic.
“Because I’m open and the work that I do in my professional life is working with people and helping them have hard conversations.”
Gray noted she already has experience interacting with the Republican governor.
“When I was elected in 2020 we met every two weeks. We had a strong working relationship even though we didn’t agree on everything. I’d say right now the moment’s a lot different and I’ve seen how we are responding as a state to (President) Trump and I do not believe we are doing enough. And so, I’m willing to be a check at times.”
McLaren said the lieutenant governor’s work goes beyond the governor.
“You know my policy is to agree when I agree and disagree when I disagree. But the work is being done at an agency level in ways that I have found we can often accomplish things together.”
Incumbent Lt. Gov. John Rodgers is the only Republican who has entered the race.
Vermont’s statewide primary is Aug. 11, and the general election is Nov. 3.
All of Vermont’s legislative seats and five Constitutional offices are up for election in November.
