Montpelier
“There is still so much to do to build on this progress,” Scott said in a statement distributed by his campaign. “Growing the economy and making Vermont a stronger, more prosperous state will remain my top priorities.”
While Scott officially declared his candidacy, he said he was not yet focused on his re-election, but rather on a special legislative session in which he is locked in a debate with lawmakers over the state budget.
Scott, in the primary, will face North Springfield resident Keith Stern, who has said he wants to reduce the role of government.
Stern says on his website that Vermonters have had to endure high taxes, a lack of well-paying jobs, high housing costs and a drug epidemic.
“It is time for a major change in Montpelier,” said Stern, who runs Stern’s Quality Produce in White River Junction. “Isn’t it time to try something different?”
Stern also has said he is upset with Scott’s decision to sign a bill tightening gun laws in Vermont.
Also on Thursday, the deadline for candidates to file nominating petitions to appear on the primary ballot, Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls James Ehlers, Christine Hallquist and Ethan Sonneborn filed their paperwork.
Strafford resident Stephen Marx also is running for governor as a member of the Earth Justice party.
In other races, Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has run as both a Democrat and an independent, is facing a challenge for the Democratic Senate nomination from Folasade Adeluola, of Shelburne.
Three Republicans are seeking the GOP nomination to run for U.S. Senate, H. Brooke Paige, of Washington; Jasdeep Pannu, of Essex; and Lawrence Zupan, of Manchester.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Peter Welch is facing a primary challenge from Benjamin Mitchell, of Westminster, and Dan Freilich, a Veterans Affairs physician from Brownsville.
Filings reported by the Secretary of State’s Office remain unofficial and incomplete, as some candidates file through their town clerk’s offices.
Among legislative races, the three Democratic state senators from Windsor County — Alison Clarkson of Woodstock, Dick McCormack of Bethel and Alica Nitka of Ludlow — are running again. They are being challenged by Republicans Randy Gray of Springfield and Wayne Townsend of Bethel. Rochester independent Mason Wade also is running for a Senate seat from Windsor County.
Longtime Orange state Sen. Mark MacDonald, D-Williamstown, faces a challenge from Thetford Republican Bill Huff.
In the two-seat Orange 1 district in the Chelsea area, former state Rep. Susan Hatch Davis, D-Washington, is running to regain a seat she narrowly lost to Chelsea Republican Bob Frenier in 2016.
Frenier is not running again. Also on the ballot are state Rep. Rodney Graham and fellow Williamstown Republican Christopher Covey, and Democrat Carl Demrow of Corinth.
In the two-seat Windsor 1 district representing Windsor and Hartland, state Reps. John Bartholomew, D-Hartland, and Paul Belaski, D-Windsor, are facing a primary challenge from Hartland resident Zachariah Ralph. Hartland Republican Wesley Raney also is running.
Hartford Selectwoman Rebecca White is running as a Democrat for an open seat in the Windsor 4-2 district, and Barnard Democrat Randall Szott is running for an open seat in the Windsor 4-1 district representing Pomfret, Barnard and part of Hartford.
One prominent Upper Valley Republican is not on the ballot this year. Pomfret resident Scott Milne, who narrowly lost to Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin in 2014 and ran against U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., two years ago, said he will not challenge Sanders this year.
“In Vermont, we need leadership that believes what we do is our measure as a person. Deeds outweigh words.
“When politicians use words to make promises they can’t keep, it undermines faith in government. Without faith in government, all of our futures are at risk,” Milne wrote to supporters on Thursday morning.
“This will get better if you join me in honoring democracy … by being active and interested.”
Material from The Associated Press and Valley News staff writer John Gregg contributed to this report.