Amanda Janoo on Tuesday night captured the Democratic nomination to run for governor of Vermont, besting Aly Richards.
The Associated Press and NBC News called the race for Janoo late in the evening.
“I knew when I decided to run for governor that it would be a long shot,” she told a crowd of supporters in Burlington’s South End. “But I knew if there’s ever a time to do the impossible thing, it is now.”
“Thank you!” she said. “We caused an upset. Together, we won.”
When Vermonters come together to create change, she said, they should not be underestimated.
“We didn’t have big money in this campaign. We were outspent two-to-one. We didn’t have the establishment or the support of big political kingmakers on our side. But we had something so much more powerful. We had you.”
Richards released a statement late Tuesday.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to run for governor of this amazing state,” she said. “Now that the primary is behind us, it’s time for Vermonters to come together and rally behind Amanda Janoo. Amanda and I share many of the same goals for this state and her people, and I will do everything I can to ensure that she is elected our next governor. It’s time for new leadership.”
The campaign was largely a civil affair. Despite their congeniality during public appearances, differences in their approaches to governing were apparent.
Richards is the former CEO of Let’s Grow Kids, which was credited with convincing state officials to subsidize childcare in Vermont. The effort has helped private daycares pay better salaries. It was intended to ensure working families can access the care they need.
Richards formerly served as deputy chief of staff to Democratic governor Peter Shumlin. She cast herself as a candidate who understands the inner workings of state government and who would be prepared to tackle problems such as the housing crisis and soaring health care costs. The same skills she brought to bear running Let’s Grow Kids — setting goals and building coalitions — would help her tackle these pressing problems, she has said.
She lives in Montpelier with her husband, Vermont Cannabis Control Board chair James Pepper, and their twin boys, who are 7.
Janoo, who is single and lives in Burlington, has worked with the United Nations and the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, a global advocacy organization. She has held herself out as a disruptor and says wealthy Vermonters should be paying their fair share of state operations.
The matchup reflected the broader trend in Democratic politics nationally, with Richards, a centrist candidate, facing a grassroots challenge from the left.
Richards had support from three former Democratic governors: Madeleine Kunin, Howard Dean and Shumlin. Janoo, meanwhile, had the backing of David Blittersdorf, who founded renewable energy company NRG Systems; Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry’s; and the Vermont Progressive Party.
Gov. Phil Scott, meantime, had no GOP opponent and is seeking a sixth term in the general election this fall. While the governor has proven to be a formidable opponent in recent elections, a University of New Hampshire poll last month found that his approval rating had slipped, to 51 percent.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
