Gov. Phil Scott has appointed two new lawmakers to fill vacancies in the Vermont Legislature days before the start of the session next week.
John Benson, a managing partner at the engineering firm DuBois & King who currently serves as chair of the Brookfield Selectboard, will fill the vacant Orange County Senate seat left by Republican Larry Hart.
Val Taylor will replace Rep. Jim Harrison, R-Chittenden, whose Rutland-11 district includes Killington, Chittenden, Mendon and Pittsfield. Harrison decided to step down amid a move to New Hampshire. Taylor previously served as chair of the Mendon Selectboard.
Both Benson and Taylor are Republicans, according to Amanda Wheeler, a spokesperson for Scott.
Customarily, the governor chooses a legislative replacement who belongs to the same political party as the resigning lawmaker, picking from a list of candidates submitted by the relevant local political party.
All Vermont legislators are up for reelection this November. In an email, Taylor said she planned to run for the House seat she’s filling.
She replaces Harrison, who, after almost a decade in office, had risen to vice chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
In an email, Taylor said she was excited to work in the Legislature to ensure tax dollars are “well spent.”
In Orange County, Hart stepped down in October, citing the toll the position had taken on his physical and mental health. He was in his first year in the role.
Benson, Hart’s replacement, did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.
In a statement, Scott praised Benson’s career serving his local community.
“His career as a civil engineer, decades as a volunteer firefighter, and now on the Selectboard, demonstrate his commitment to working together to solve problems, which will be an important perspective to have in the Senate,” Scott said.
This story was republished with permission from VtDigger, which offers its reporting at no cost to local news organizations through its Community News Sharing Project. To learn more, visit vtdigger.org/community-news-sharing-project.