MONTPELIER — Vermont House Speaker Jill Krowinski is not running for reelection, she said Thursday.
The Burlington Democrat announced her unexpected decision during a meeting of the House Democratic caucus at the Statehouse on Thursday afternoon. It came just hours before the deadline for major party candidates to declare their intent to run for office this year.
There were audible gasps in the room as Krowinski, who is in her 14th year in the House and fifth as speaker, broke the news to many of her colleagues. Earlier this year, her staff said she intended to seek office again.
Krowinski gave only brief remarks, but her office issued a statement shortly after the caucus meeting. It highlighted several laws enacted during her tenure, including a major childcare investment package and a new infrastructure financing program that supports housing construction.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to be the Speaker of the Vermont House,” she said in the statement, “and I leave this role with a renewed optimism and hope for our shared future and the next generation of Vermonters.”
Notably, Krowinski’s decision means both the House and Senate will have new leaders next year. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth, D/P-Chittenden Central, has said previously that he is leaving his seat after this legislative session ends.
No other lawmakers have so far publicly declared their intent to seek either the speaker’s or the pro tem’s jobs. The rumor mill is likely to include those serving in lower-ranking House and Senate leadership roles who also plan to run for reelection this year.
In the House, that includes Rep. Lori Houghton, D-Essex Junction, the chamber’s majority leader, and her counterpart in the Senate, Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D-Chittenden Southeast. The chairs of powerful House and Senate committees, such as the budget-writing appropriations panels, could be eyed for the jobs, as well.
Both Krowinski and Baruth served as majority leaders of their respective chambers before they were elected by their colleagues to the top jobs. Democrats hold both leadership posts because they control a majority of seats in each chamber. Whether they control those posts by the start of next year’s session will depend on the results of this fall’s election.
A new speaker and pro tem are elected at the start of each two-year legislative biennium. At the start of this biennium, in 2025, Krowinski faced a rare leadership challenge from Rep. Laura Sibilia, I-Dover. Krowinski handily beat out Sibilia, though, by 111 votes to 35.
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