Just 13 days before Election Day, Republican Gov. Phil Scott and Democratic/Progressive challenger Amanda Janoo went head-to-head in their first gubernatorial debate on Wednesday night.
The hourlong event, hosted by Vermont Public and moderated by “Vermont Edition” host Mikaela Lefrak, was a notably subdued affair, devoid of personal attacks or rancorous remarks. Still, it showcased major differences in the candidates’ policy positions and visions for the state.
Scott, who has held office since 2017, positioned himself as a pragmatic leader who has led the state through hard times and believes there is still more work to do. He said he is open to working across the aisle but is not willing to rubber-stamp the policy proposals of the Democrat-controlled legislature.
Janoo, meanwhile, said her career as an economist working with governments across the U.S. and the world to develop long-term goals and economic strategies has prepared her for the role of governor. She described the state as “stuck in a reactive position” and lacking a clear path forward.
“I’ve been traveling across the state and asking folks at every place I go … ‘What do you think the government’s goals are right now?'” Janoo said. “And people have no idea.”
The debate included questions submitted by Vermonters, a section in which the candidates got to ask each other questions, and a lightning round that required answers of 10 seconds or less.
Health care was the topic that got the most airtime. While both Scott and Janoo agreed that costs are too high, they shared different ideas for addressing that.
Janoo favors an income surcharge on high earners — those making above $250,000 a year — to fund a universal preventative, primary care program that would enable the state to hire small-town doctors and nurses and cut out insurance companies. She said taxes on middle-class Vermonters would not increase under her plan.
As part of a question to Janoo, Scott expressed skepticism that Vermont has enough high earners to fund the type of program she envisions and noted that the state already has a shortage of primary care doctors. But Janoo said she’d talked to primary care providers who seem excited about the idea of getting to practice medicine without having to deal with insurance.
Scott said he favors a more incremental approach, including allowing insurance companies to charge different rates based on age, a practice known as “age banding.” When it comes to a publicly funded health care system, Scott said former governor Peter Shumlin explored the idea and determined that it didn’t make financial sense.
“It can’t be done in Vermont,” Scott said. “We can’t afford another experiment like that.”
On education, Scott said a steep decline in student enrollment means that major structural changes — including school district consolidation and a new state aid funding formula — are necessary.
“We have to fix the system,” Scott said. “It is the system itself that is … sucking all the life out of us.”
Janoo, meanwhile, said health care for employees and rising mental and behavioral health needs among students are the major cost drivers in schools.
“We actually have to address and look at what are those actual root drivers of costs,” Janoo said, “because otherwise no amount of consolidation is actually going to decrease overall spending.”
Asked how Vermont could reduce its carbon footprint while also lowering energy costs, Scott said the state buys hydroelectric power from Québec and is talking with another Canadian province about a similar arrangement. He also said he has been speaking with New England governors about the potential to build a small-scale nuclear power plant that would benefit all of their states. Janoo, meanwhile, said she won’t support nuclear power development “until we can actually figure out how to deal with nuclear waste.”
On the topic of homelessness, crime and drug addiction in Burlington, Janoo said she favors a “housing first” approach in which people are provided permanent housing and wraparound supports rather than temporary shelter. Scott touted the “accountability court” his administration established in Burlington as a way to hold people accountable for their behavior and help them with issues, including mental health and addiction, and said he’d like to bring it back.
The debate ended on a surprisingly friendly note. Lefrak asked each candidate to name someone from the opposing political party whom they respect. Scott named former U.S. senator Patrick Leahy and the late state senator Dick Mazza, both Democrats.
Janoo, meanwhile, said she respects Scott.
“He’s just super nice,” she said. Addressing the governor, she added, “And I appreciate the fact that you haven’t followed along with a Republican, sort of Trump, MAGA, fascist regime and sort of held your own perspective throughout.”
Scott and Janoo will meet on the debate stage two more times before November 3: NBC5 hosts the candidates on Thursday, October 22, at 8 p.m., while WCAX-TV will air its gubernatorial debate on Wednesday, October 28, at 7 p.m.
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