Says he will not campaign until state of emergency is over
Governor Phil Scott send the following email Thursday, May 28 at 7 a.m.
Dear Mountain Times,
First of all, I want to thank you for the support you’ve given me over the years. I would not be governor today without your help and encouragement. I will always be honored by the trust and responsibility Vermonters have placed in me.
So, I wanted to let you know that, this morning, I filed for re-election.
While I hope to earn your vote in August and November, these are not normal times and this will not be a normal campaign.
As our state and nation continue to navigate a once-in-a-century challenge, Vermonters need and deserve a full-time governor who is focused on leading Vermont through the public health and economic crisis Covid-19 has created.
I know this may seem a bit odd coming from someone in my position, but I can honestly say the least favorite part of my experience in public service has been the politics. Far too many people get elected to satisfy their egos, and use their newly found power for ideological reasons or for the satisfaction of taking credit for things they have or haven’t done. I’ve always felt that what we actually need are more public servants — people who make sacrifices to help others, not themselves or special interests. That’s what I’ve tried to do throughout my time in public life. And, I think it’s more important now than ever before.
We have so much to do to help protect public health and restart and revitalize our economy. So, here’s the bottom line: I will not be campaigning in the traditional way while we are in the midst of our response to this pandemic. Facing, fighting and defeating this virus — and rebuilding a stronger, more resilient economy — are my top priorities.
This means, until the state of emergency is over, I won’t have a campaign staff or office, be raising money, or participating in normal campaign events.
I will remain solely focused on fulfilling my responsibilities and serving the state I love.
I realize the risks — I will be facing at least one other candidate in the August primary, and there are well organized candidates from other parties who have been asking for money and campaigning throughout this crisis. I’m sure the political consultants would tell me my decision not to campaign at this time is a mistake.
But, I simply cannot bring myself to campaign during the state of emergency, even if it puts me at a political disadvantage in August and November.
I thank you for your ongoing commitment to helping us fight this virus and recover stronger than we were before. We will get through this by staying united as Vermonters and doing our part to put the safety, security and prosperity of our state ahead of politics.
Sincerely,
Phil Scott
