Lakyn, granddaughter of Northfield/Berlin Rep. Ken Goslant, went on social media to help 'Grampy' win re-election. He and Anne Donahue are among a growing number of Republicans to hold both seats in a two seat district.
Below are just a handful of the key successes Vermont Republicans realized this election, according to a statement released today by the Vermont Republican Party President Deb Billado:
The re-election of Governor Phil Scott against outgoing Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman by an astonishing 40-point margin, with President Donald Trump receiving more votes in Vermont than Zuckerman did;
The defeat of both Democratic House Speaker Mitzi Johnson and House Progressive Caucus Leader Robin Chesnut Tangerman, marking a massive downfall for the Democratic-Progressive Majority in Montpelier;
The first time in two decades Vermont Republicans have not only held, but gained seats in the Vermont Legislature during a presidential year;
A net gain for Republicans in the Vermont Senate–the first time Republicans increased their Senate position in 6 years;
A net gain for Republicans in the Vermont House of 4, the largest gain since 2014;
A Republican Senate pickup in the Essex/Orleans District, marking the first time in 8 years that a Republican has represented this portion of the Northeast Kingdom;
The first time in the history of the Grand Isle-Chittenden House district that two Republicans have represented it;
The first time in the history of the Rutland-Bennington House district that it has been represented by a Republican;
The first time in nearly two decades that two Republicans have represented the Rutland-2 House district;
The first time in 14 years that a Republican has represented the Orange-Caledonia House district;
A more than 95% success rate for Republican incumbent legislators running for re-election; and
Unprecedented Republican victories in all 14 Vermont counties.
After narrow Election Day wins, the Vermont Republican House Caucus now stands at 46, with two independents considered likely to vote with them on many issues. 48 is still short of the 51 needed to support a governor’s veto, but much closer than this year’s caucus that couldn’t sustain the veto of the Global Warming Solutions Act.
That’s Vermont Daily’s unofficial tally, as presented in an updated a Vermont Secretary of State spreadsheet containing results from all Vermont statewide, legislative, and county high bailiff races.
Grand Isle Republicans Leland and Michael Morgan tossed incumbent and House Speaker Mitzi Johnson out of office.
John Klar supporter and Republican Sally Achey bested Progressive caucus leader Robin Chesnut-Tangerman in the multi-town Rutland-Bennington district.
GOP challenger Samantha Lefebvre narrowly defeated Democrat incumbent Carl Demrow and a Democratic challenger to take the #2 seat in the Orange-1 district behind incumbent Republican Rodney Graham.
Black Lives Matter flag opponent Art Peterson was the leading vote-getter in Rutland 2. Incumbent Republican Tom Burditt was re-elected. Incumbent Democrat Dave Potter was odd-man out.
All four of the above GOP pickups were closely contested and recounts are considered likely. Other GOP pickups include Paul Martin in Franklin County, Joe Parsons in Newbury, and Samantha Lefebvre in Orange-1.
Most Republican incumbents won re-election. Bob Bancroft (Westford) appears to be the only defeated incumbent, losing to Democrat Alyssa Black.
The numbers of the Senate are little-changed. Incumbents including Gov. Phil Scott ruled in the statewide races. Democrat Molly Gray beat Republican Scott Milne for lieutenant governor. Three “police oversight” high bailiff candidates won their counties. And Donald Trump couldn’t move the needle above his 30% showing in 2016.
Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts yesterday announced an executive order limiting indoor and outdoor crowd sizes and authorizing police to levy $500 fines for each person in attendance above the limit.
Will Vermont follow suit with something similar? Gov. Phil Scott will no doubt be asked this question at his press conference Friday.
Charlie Baker
Baker’s remark that residents had become too “complacent” as the pandemic stretches on resembles comments made by Scott and Vermont Health Commissioner Mark Levine at last Friday’s press conference. Scott warned Vermonters to not allow “pandemic fatigue” to make us complacent. “If we want to keep our schools and economy open, we need to double down on our efforts to control this virus,” he said.
“If we see the uptick….we will be forced to do something about it, and I’m not sure what that will be yet,” Scott said. “But it’s nothing we’re talking about now.”
“Now we’re seeing what happens when we let our guard down,” Health Commissioner Mark Levine chimed in.
Gov. Scott did not attend today’s regular Tuesday press briefing, in deference to Election Day. Baker’s decision was not mentioned. Baker, like Scott, is a centrist Republican governing a “blue” Democrat state. Levine said last Friday other regional health officials “were actively discussing implementing dramatic changes.”
Like the rest of the country in recent weeks as people spend more time indoors, Vermont and Massachusetts both have seen increases in Covid cases and hospitalizations, although the Bay State has fared far worse both in total numbers and per capita. Massachusetts Covid ICU cases jumped from 47 Sept. 9 to 113 November 1, the executive order said. 88% of new clusters since September 27 stem from household and social gathering, “which warrants heightened caution” and the new restrictions, Baker said in the executive order. Massachusetts has the second worst Covid-19 death rate per 100,000 (about 1,400) in the nation, exceeded only by New Jersey. Vermont has the lowest Covid death rate per 100K.
Although nowhere near the scale of Massachusetts, Vermont Covid hospitalizations and ICU admissions also have increased – from zero to less than 10. Unlike Vermont, however, no Massachusetts hospitals were hit with cyberattacks last week.
The following is excerpted from the Massachusetts’ governor’s website: “Governor’s COVID-19 Order #54 (issued November 2, 2020, effective November 6, 12:01 AM) Reduced gathering size limit for gatherings at private residences: indoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 25 people. The limit on gatherings held in public spaces and at event venues remains the same. Requires that all gatherings (regardless of size or location) must end and disperse by 9:30 PM.”
The new order also requires that organizers of gatherings report known positive COVID-19 cases to the local health department in that community and requires organizers to cooperate with contact tracing. The gatherings order authorizes continued enforcement by local health and police departments and specifies that fines for violating the gathering order will be $500 for each person above the limit at a particular gathering.
Religious and political gatherings are exempted from the new restrictions.
No end in sight after UVMMC cyberattack; National Guard cyberwarriors deployed
Almost a week after a cyberattack stopped access to computerized patient charts at the University of Vermont Medical Center , the following statement was issued at 3 pm today:
The University of Vermont Health Network continues to work on restoring systems impacted by last week's cyberattack event. Our IT team is making steady progress, but we still do not know when all systems will be restored.
We continue to dedicate all available resources to this work. Today, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott has deployed the Vermont Army National Guard’s Combined Cyber Response Team 1 to assist our IT team with reviewing thousands of end-user computers and devices. The deployment of the National Guard will aid our recovery from this incident, and this team’s expert advice and assistance will bolster our network’s operations going forward.
We anticipate additional scheduling challenges to emerge beginning tomorrow when some hospitals and offices across the network will be unable to access appointment schedules. We are urging patients to check our website, at www.uvmhealth.org/cyberattack, for the latest details related to each affiliate.
Additionally, patients are encouraged tobring as much information with them as they can to their appointments, including current medications, glucometers and any after-visit summaries they may have printed.
published by Guy Page, Page Communications
news@vermontdailychronicle.com
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