Updated at 23:14

Vermonters want two more years of Governor Phil Scott.

The Associated Press declared victory for the four-term Republican just after 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night, a half-hour after polls closed in Vermont. Scott, of Berlin, faced a challenge from Democratic candidate Esther Charlestin, a political newcomer and education consultant who lives in South Burlington.

Scott and dozens of his closest supporters and employees gathered Tuesday night in Montpelier at the Associated General Contractors of Vermont warehouse, which was decorated with a variety of Scott campaign and motorcycle paraphernalia for the occasion. A guitarist serenaded the room with country and classic rock songs.

About 20 minutes after the AP called the race for Scott, campaign manager Jason Maulucci broke the “good news” of the governor’s victory into the chamber and was greeted with applause.

Just before 9:30 p.m., Scott took the podium to thank voters who decidedly voted to keep him in office and those who responded to that question based on preliminary results Tuesday night. Scott’s campaign appeal to send him Republican support. down the ballotTo the Vermont Legislature.

“This election was about one fundamental question: Can you, your aging parents, your grandparents, your children, your grandchildren, your neighbors, live and thrive in Vermont if we don’t make a course correction on the path set by the EU? legislative leaders over the last two years?” Scott said. “Vermonters voted and sent a clear message. They voted for balance. They voted for moderation. They told us they couldn’t afford the direction we were going and they wanted legislators to set clear priorities.”

Charlestin took the stage at the Vermont Democratic Party’s election night party in South Burlington shortly after 9:15 p.m. As her children watched from the crowd, flanked by her mother and husband Jesse Norford, Charlestin accepted the race and congratulated Scott on his success. sure win.

“I believe in doing what is difficult. “This race – come on, this race was a mountain in itself,” he said, adding: “Even though it’s difficult, it’s important that we’re still engaged in our democracy.”

“It was an honor to travel to Vermont and really see and hear people’s concerns,” he said. “And I thank you all for that.”

Scott’s easy win came despite former President Donald Trump, who is widely unpopular in Vermont, favoring Republicans.

If Tuesday was any indication, Vermonters were willing to split their tickets. Earlier that evening, the AP also announced Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Victory in Green Mountain state – The vice president’s first win of the night.

By around 11 p.m., with 86% of towns and cities reporting, Scott was on track to garner more than 70% of the vote, according to unofficial results provided by the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office. Charlestine garnered more than 21% of the vote.

At the same time, Harris was leading Trump in Vermont by about 63% to 32%, according to unofficial results from the State Department.

Cost-of-living concerns had pushed many voters to choose Scott, they told VTDigger early Tuesday.

“Taxes are going sky high,” said Rachel McCuin, 82, a lifelong Warren resident and retired federal Department of Agriculture employee. “I’ve lived here my whole life, but God, you know, I’m not sure I can stay.”

McCuin said he voted because “I wanted to keep in the governor we got in” and hoped Scott would help rein in education spending and property taxes.

Property taxes were also a major concern for Joe Danis, 30, of South Hero. “I don’t even live on the water, and my property taxes are up 24% this year,” he said. “I think he’s done a very good job of listening to people and doing what he says to keep taxes low,” Danis said of Scott.

Even those who voted for Charlesin described it more as a vote against Scott.

“I don’t think we can impeach Scott, and he’s basically fine, kind of middle of the road,” retired administrative assistant Karen Chickering, 69, said after voting in Burlington Tuesday morning. “But he needs to be taught that he is not the ultimate authority. “He overruled a lot of things that I don’t think he should have done, and I’m voting against him this time.”

Scott has frequently polled as the nation’s most popular governor, and in recent years Democratic Party officials have described Scott as largely unbeatable. Former Democratic Gov. Howard Dean, the only other governor in recent history to win as many terms as Scott, has considered a public political comeback to challenge Scott this year.

But even Dean retreatedHe told reporters in May that he would have to resort to a “scorched earth, negative attack campaign” to unseat Scott. He predicted that the entire (hypothetical) event “would easily be a $2 million race for both parties.”

“Your first job in any race against an incumbent — whether popular or unpopular — is to convince people that the incumbent does not deserve re-election and that story is not being told,” said Jim Dandeneau, executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party. In that case.

READ MORE

Ultimately, only two Democratic candidates rose to the challenge: Charlestin and his primary opponent, Peter Duval, a former Underhill Board of Election member who had previously run as a statewide Republican. Scott also faces two independent challengers in this election — Kevin Hoyt of Bennington and Eli “Poa” Mutino of Barre — and a challenger from the Peace and Justice Party in June Goodband of Springfield. None appeared on track to receive more than 3% of the vote.

When is Charles? Won the Democratic primary In August, she became the first black woman to represent a major party in Vermont’s gubernatorial ballot.

He told VTDigger at the time that he planned to “go hard” by campaigning for Vermonters’ votes: “That means raising a lot more money. That means knocking on doors. That means seeking approval.”

Charlestine’s gubernatorial campaign did not go exactly as he expected. He raised $56,692 during his campaign, according to his last campaign finance report filed with the State Department on Nov. 1.

Scott’s campaign fundraising total as of Nov. 1 was $343,632. That’s more than six times the money Charlestine raised.

During the campaign, Scott rarely criticized Charlestin directly. Instead he Focus on Legislative Democrats as political enemies

Democrats in both the Vermont House and Senate in 2022 achieved a two-thirds majority — enough seats to theoretically override Scott’s frequent gubernatorial vetoes. Over the next two years, Democrats made progress on legislative priorities they knew Scott opposed. Bill to create a clean heat standard. While Scott eagerly used his veto power, legislators often responded with decisive override votes.

On the debate stage and in interviews with VTDigger, Scott acknowledged that he does not believe Vermont is better off now than it was two years ago. But that was his fault, he argued: I didn’t rest with himbut with the Democrats in Montpelier.