View Phil Scott's Bike Tour in a Larger Map.
How do Vermont politicians campaign? In addition to the typical flyers, television commercials, Facebook fan pages and websites, Vermont politicians find engaging ways to infuse their campaigns with “green mountain flavor” to appeal to the sensibilities of the average Vermonter. Republican incumbent candidate for Vermont Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott embarked on a 14-county bike tour from Oct. 2 to Oct. 9, logging 568 miles over the course of his trip. This unofficial campaign tour enabled the Lt. Governor to promote his policies and explain his platform, which helped him secure re-election for another two-year term.
Scott had several aims for his ambitious bike campaign. Firstly, he hoped to highlight the policies that he has been promoting during his last term, such as self-reliance, tourism and the importance of buying local products.
He also hoped that his tour would promote Vermont tourism during the key foliage season and he would like to lead by example.
The trip was a “longtime personal fitness goal” for Scott, an avid cyclist, and a way to get in touch with local, typical Vermonters in an informal setting.
“I’ve been to parades and fairs at the state’s larger venues,” said Scott in a press release. “But I also want to visit with people from all walks of life and in Vermont’s smaller towns.”
“Seeing the state on two wheels calls for a slower pace and increases your awareness and perspective from a number of different standpoints,” Scott said. “It makes it easier to see and appreciate more of the small, and many times family-owned, businesses that make up our economy.”
Vermonters managed to distinguish Scott from the average cyclist despite his large raincoat and his decision to ride alone. As he reported to Vtdigger, one woman stopped him on the road to hand deliver an eight-page letter outlining her concerns about rising fuel costs.
Off the road each day, Scott stopped at bike shops and held “meet and greet” sessions at local pubs and restaurants. He also stopped by the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, Gifford Medical Center in Randolph and the Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth.
At the end of the ride, Scott’s physically challenging campaign strategy paid off. Prior to the election, he earned endorsements of the Manchester Journal, the Herald of Randolph and Burlington Free Press, signaling a good start for the election-day. On election night, his opponent Cassandra Gekas called in at 11 p.m. to concede victory and wish Scott the best of luck. Post-election tallies indicate that Scott scored 57.1 percent out of the total electorate, claiming one of the rare Republican victories in Vermont.
Scott’s relatively high victory margin makes his re-election all the more significant. Some critics think that Scott is a promising future gubernatorial candidate for the Republican Party, which struggles to make its voice heard in the democratic stronghold of Vermont.
Eric Davis, professor emeritus of political science at Middlebury College, is one such skeptic of Scott’s gubernatorial potential. Davis sees Scott’s party affiliation as “a dilemma for Scott’s future aspirations.”
“The reason why Scott is elected is because he is seen as a regular guy and he is willing to cooperate with the Democrats,” Davis said. “But if he is hoping to run for the governor’s seat after Shumlin resigns, his identity as a Republican will hinder him in Vermont, one of the most democratic states in the United States.
“[Scott] would [need to] be an independent candidate in order to gain a higher position” Davis concluded.
Regardless of his long-term political aspirations, Scott has made it clear that he is ready to get back to work. In his victory speech, he urged all Vermonters to cooperate together to get things done.
Scott promised to continue to work for the welfare of all Vermonters, irrespective of political differences.
“It doesn’t matter who’s in charge, we all have a responsibility to do what’s best for Vermonters,” Scott said after his re-election was confirmed. “After the campaign is over you put your partisan stripes aside and you do what’s best for Vermont and Vermonters.”
Comments
