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Why New England’s Republican Governors Withstood the Blue Wave
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Vermont voters delivered a significant Democratic wave by ousting two dozen Republicans from the state Legislature, giving Democrats supermajorities in both chambers.
- Despite this Democratic surge, Republican Gov. Phil Scott won a record sixth term in Vermont, a liberal state that favored Vice President Kamala Harris over President Trump by a wide margin.
- Scott's success is attributed to his moderate, pragmatic approach, willingness to work across the aisle, and clear distancing from former President Trump, appealing to voters like Peter Gallagher and Joanne Davis.
- Similar to Scott, New Hampshire’s Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte was re-elected by embracing a moderate, fiscally pragmatic Republicanism, showing a potential path forward for the party in liberal New England.
- This pattern reflects a New England tradition where voters often choose moderate Republican governors to balance liberal legislatures, as seen in states like Massachusetts with past governors William Weld and Charlie Baker.
