Vermont General Election 2024: Statewide Elections

The primaries are over, and it's on to the general election.  Every statewide race is contested, but it's unclear if any are competitive...

Attorney General has three candidates:

• Charity Clark is the Democratic candidate and the current AG, elected two years ago.  She worked in the AG's office for eight years prior, so she is the most experienced candidate.  Her candidate site doesn't list any positions.  The About page for the AG office states the Vision as "A Vermont where the public interest and the natural environment are protected by a just and effective state government."  WCAX's reporting on the AG race says "she’s focused on online safety protections for kids, a growing concern with artificial intelligence, and addressing what she calls a youth vaping crisis."  The VTDigger profile has more on PCBs, domestic violence, and gun safety.  I would like to see more focus on the opiod epidemic, as that is a root cause of the current public safety concerns in Vermont.
• Kevin Gustafson is the Green Mountain Peace and Justice candidate.  He has no campaign site, the Q&A with 7 Days links to the party's website, which doesn't mention he is a candidate.
• Ture Nelson is the Republican candidate.  His positions mirror his answers to VTDigger's profile questions, and are concerning.  His focus seems to be on investigating whether public servants are "doing their jobs", with no mention of the opioid epidemic.  

Auditor of Accounts has two candidates:

• Doug Hoffer is the Democratic candidate and the incumbent with 12 years of service.  He has been excellent in the position, but is 72.  My one question for him is whether he has a successor trained up to take over when it's time for him to retire.
• H. Brooke Paige runs for multiple state positions every election cycle.  He is not a serious candidate, and it's difficult to take seriously his evidence-free accusations that Hoffer isn't doing his job.   

Secretary of State has two candidates:

• Sarah Copeland Hanzas, the Democratic candidate and current secretary.  I like that the office has been working on civic engagement.  I'm not sure it should be the highest priority, but I also can't offer an alternative highest priority.
• H. Brooke Paige, the Republican candidate, who believes vote-by-mail is unconstitutional and repealing it is his top priority.  Again, not a serious candidate, and it's sad the Republican party can't do better.

State Treasurer has two candidates:

• Joshua Bechhoefer is the Republican candidate.  He does not appear to have a campaign website.  His top priority, if elected, is to provide "more options for pensions where possible" without any further detail.  That sounds like dismantling the pension system in favor of 401k's to me, and not a good idea.  
• Mike Pieciak, the Democratic candidate and current treasurer.  His top priority is housing, which the state has invested in during his term.  Homelessness is another root cause of the current public safety concerns in Vermont, so it makes sense to me that encouraging housing growth is a focus for the Treasurer.

Lieutenant Governor has three candidates.  This is the only race that seems remotely competitive.

• Ian Diamondstone is the Vermont Peace and Justice candidate.  Like Kevin Gustafson, he appears to have no campaign website, and his VTDigger profile, which he did not bother to provide answers to, points to the party website, which does not mention he is a candidate.  I don't understand the purpose of running if one isn't going to do the bare minimum of campaigning.
• John Rodgers is a former Democratic senator and representative from the Northeast Kingdom, who switched parties this year to be the Republican candidate.
• David Zuckerman is the Democratic candidate and current Lt Governor.  I am a little concerned that he doesn't seem to have the full support of his party: he faced a challenger who took 36% of the vote in the primary, and a story about being reprimanded by the VT House Speaker was run in the leadup to that primary election.

There is video of a debate between Rodgers and Zuckerman.  Starts off very friendly and gets a little heated when the candidates start to ask each other questions.  There isn't a lot that separates the two.

Governor has five candidates:

• Esther Charlestin is the Democratic candidate.  Her policy page is focused on three issues and has concrete proposals.  I would like to see a broader platform from a gubernatorial candidate.  I hope, after the election, she is able to continue to advocate for these proposals.
• June Goodband is the Vermont Peace and Justice candidate.  She has a full and thoughtful platform.  I am concerned that she has no political experience and is starting by seeking the governorship.
• Kevin Hoyt is an Independent candidate who has been arrested and charged with stalking and harassment.  He does not have a campaign website.  Some of his answers to the VTDigger questions are ... not worthy of a gubernatorial candidate. 
• Eli "Poa" Mutino is an Independent candidate.  His issues page highlights three important issues, but there are no concrete proposals, and the governor needs to have a broader view.  
• Phil Scott is the Republican candidate and sitting governor.  His website doesn't appear to contain any policy or position statements.  He did not bother to fill out the VTDigger profile.  He will handily win another term. 

There is video of a debate between Charlestin and Scott.  Watching this, I was struck by Scott's dismissal of the work done in the state legislature, arguing for a shorter legislative session with the logic, "they pass most of the bills in the last week."  He was a state senator for 10 years; he should know better.