Results from Tuesday’s Vermont primary were mixed for incumbents in the legislature, as newcomers beat out incumbents in two Upper Valley house districts and incumbents held two Windsor County senate seats and an Orange County house nomination.
Also in Windsor County, candidate Claude Weyant secured the Democratic nomination for sheriff.
Statewide, Democrat Amanda Janoo, of Burlington, secured the party nomination for governor, according to the Associated Press.
In Orange County, state Rep. Monique Priestley cleanly earned the Democratic nomination for Orange County Senate and Sean McRae, of Bethel, is the Democratic candidate for Sheriff.
Tuesday was also a good night for younger candidates, with 17-year-old Aiden Otterman of Topsham and 23-year-old Dylan Morse of Hartland securing nominations.
Vermont voters went to the polls Tuesday to dole out party nominations in ten contested races in the Upper Valley and a handful of statewide contests. After Republicans made historic gains in 2024, this year’s primary drew an unusually crowded field of candidates on both sides of the aisle angling for nomination.
22.1% of registered voters cast ballots Tuesday, with 98% of Vermont towns including every Upper Valley town having reported results as of Wednesday morning.
At the polls Tuesday, Upper Valley voters were concerned about healthcare costs, education funding, affordability and seeing change in Montpelier.
Windsor County Senate
In a crowded primary, incumbent Hartford Democrats Becca White and Joe Major held on to their seats Tuesday with White holding a solid 22.4% of the vote. Major followed with 16.5% and former state Rep. Elizabeth Burrows, of West Windsor, secured the county’s third senate nomination with 13.7% of the vote.
Challengers were Heather Chase, of Chester, in fourth; Ben Brickner, of Pomfret, in fifth and Christopher M Dube, of Hartford, in sixth.
The three candidates will face Republicans Andrea Murray, of Weathersfield; Jonathan Gleason, of Ludlow; and Jack Williams, of Weathersfield in November’s general election.
Windsor County Sheriff
Claude Weyant, of Windsor, overwhelmingly secured the Democratic nomination for Windsor County Sheriff Tuesday, earning 41.5% of the vote. Weyant is currently chief deputy of the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department and has been overseeing day-to-day operations since January.
Christopher Norton, of Springfield, earned 19.6% of the vote and Joshua Lake, of Chester, earned 17.7%.
Weyant will face Republican Richard King, of Springfield, in November.
Current Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer, D-Windsor did not run for reelection amid pending criminal charges of sexual misconduct.
Orange County Senate
State Rep. Monique Priestley, D-Bradford, earned the Democratic nomination for Orange County’s sole senate seat Tuesday with 64% of the vote. Priestley beat out Rose Lucenti, of Randolph, who secured 25.5% of the vote.
Priestly will face Republican incumbent Sen. John K. Benson, R- Brookfield, in November.
Gov. Phil Scott appointed Benson after state Rep. Larry Hart, R-Topsham, stepped down last fall.
Orange County Sheriff
Sean McRae, of Bethel, beat out Michael Tkac of Corinth for the Democratic nomination for sheriff.
McRae, who earned 44.3% of the vote to Tkac’s 28.1% will face Republican Jacob Held, of Washington, in November.
Orange-Caledonia
Teenage Democrat Aiden Otterman of Topsham secured the Democratic nomination for the house district that comprises Newbury, Groton and Topsham. Otterman earned 66.5% of the vote with James Merriam, of Wells River, taking 24.5%.
Otterman will face his great uncle, Republican Tom Otterman, of West Topsham, in November.
Windsor-1
Democrats John Tansey, of Windsor, and Dylan Morse, of Hartland, beat out incumbent John Bartholomew for the two House seats representing Hartland, West Windsor and Windsor. Tansey secured 34.5% of the vote Tuesday, followed by Morse with 31.8% and Bartholomew in third with 18.4%.
No Republican candidates filed for the office, though 58 write-in votes were submitted on the Republican ticket.
Windsor-Orange-2
Democrats Dee Gish, of Sharon, and Lauren Morando Rhim, of Norwich, secured the nominations for two house seats representing Norwich, Sharon, Strafford and Thetford.
Gish earned 37.2% of the vote, Morando Rhim 29% and incumbent state Rep. Jim Masland, of Thetford, fell to the newcomers with 23.5% of the vote.
State. Rep. Rebecca Holcombe, D-Norwich, who holds the other seat in the district did not run for reelection.
There are no Republican candidates, but 22 write-in votes were cast.
Orange-Washington-Addison
In a double primary, four Randolph Democrats and three Republicans sought two seats representing the district that includes Randolph.
For the Democrats, Emery Mattheis, and incumbent Larry Satcowitz secured the party nominations with 28.4% and 26.1% of the vote respectively. Kevin Doering came third and Thomas Harty fourth.
Incumbent Democrat Philip “Jay” Hooper, of Randolph Center, did not seek reelection.
For the Republicans, Stephen Webster, with 33% of the vote, and Charles Russell, with 23.8% secured the two nominations. Both live in Randolph. Lance Ryan, of Roxbury, came third.
Windsor-Orange-1
The Windsor-Orange-1 district comprised of Royalton and Tunbridge had two primaries Tuesday with candidates vying for one seat.
Democratic incumbent John K. O’Brien, of Tunbridge, held onto his seat with 53.5% of the vote Tuesday. Challenger Devin Brennan, of Royalton, came second with 39.2%.
Republican Bruce V. Post, of Royalton, won the party nomination with 60.1% of the vote. Robert Dunkle, of Tunbridge, earned 37%.
Statewide races
Governor
Democrat Amanda Janoo, of Burlington, secured the party nomination for governor with 49.4% of the vote as of just after 11 p.m. Tuesday. Janoo beat Aly Richards of Montpelier. The Associated Press declared the winner just before 11 p.m.
Janoo will mount a challenge against incumbent Gov. Phil Scott, R-Berlin, in the general election.
Lieutenant Governor
Democrat Molly Gray, of Burlington, beat out challengers Esther Charlestin, of South Burlington, and Ryan McLaren, of Essex Junction City,in a race called by the Associated Press just after 8 p.m.
Gray who is from Newbury, previously served as Lt. Gov. from 2021 to 2023 and launched an unsuccessful bid for Congress in 2022.
She will face Republican incumbent John Rodgers, of Glover, in November.
Auditor of Accounts
Tim Ashe, of Burlington, is the Democratic nominee for auditor of accounts. Ashe, who earned 60.5% of the vote, beat out competitors Nicholas Graeter, of Williston, with 10.1%, and Dan Towle of Huntington with 9.7%
Ashe will face Republican H. Brooke Paige, of Washington, in November. Paige also filed to run for State Treasurer, Secretary of State and Attorney General.
Federal races
Representative to Congress
Republican Gerald Malloy, of Weathersfield, beat opponent Mark Coester, of Westminster. Malloy, a veteran of the U.S. Army, will face incumbent Democrat Becca Balint in November.
