BURLINGTON, Vt. — A newcomer to Vermont politics with a decidedly progressive platform defeated a Montpelier insider Tuesday to claim the state’s Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
Amanda Janoo, 38, had never before run for public office and was largely unknown in Vermont political circles before entering the race this spring. Now, she’s poised to take on the state’s popular incumbent governor, Republican Phil Scott, in November’s general election.
Janoo, who has worked in international development outside of Vermont, defeated Aly Richards, a former political aide who led a successful effort to revamp the state’s childcare system. With about 95 percent of votes counted Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press, Janoo had won 49.2 percent of the vote, while Richards took 46.5 percent.
At a raucous watch party Tuesday night at an event space in Burlington’s South End, Janoo described her victory as an “upset” and credited “ordinary Vermonters” for coming together to support her.
“Tonight we proved that Vermonters are tired of the status quo and ready for bold ideas and specific solutions,” she said.
In a statement conceding defeat Tuesday night, Richards said she would do everything she could to help elect Janoo governor.“It’s time for new leadership,” Richards said.
The race was among the most closely watched in Vermont’s relatively quiet primary election. Neither of the state’s US senators are up for reelection this year, and incumbents in nearly every statewide office are seeking reelection.
One contest that drew considerable scrutiny was for the prosecutor’s post in the Burlington area. That race became a referendum on public drug use and homelessness in Vermont’s largest city.
Challenger Bram Kranichfeld sought to blame incumbent Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George for the city’s woes, but George defeated him in the Democratic primary, winning 49.6 percent of the vote to his 44.8 percent. There were no Republicans on the ballot.
Janoo, of Burlington, has made big promises in her gubernatorial run, saying she would make publicly funded primary care available to all Vermonters, a plan she’d pay for by raising income taxes on the wealthy. Richards, who cast herself as the more electable candidate, suggested that some of her opponent’s plans could be considered “magical thinking.”
The primary was a relatively cordial affair, but a late influx of outside spending by a super PAC aligned with Richards prompted howls from Janoo, who said it illustrated “the sad state of politics.” The group, called Time for a Change, spent close to $200,000 in the home stretch of the campaign on ads supporting Richards — a significant investment in a small-dollar race.
It did not succeed at getting Richards over the finish line.
Janoo is likely to face a far tougher race this fall.
Scott, who was unopposed in the Republican primary, is seeking his sixth two-year term, which could make him Vermont’s longest-serving governor since it joined the Union. The 68-year-old Berlin resident continues to draw support from Democrats and independents, in part due to his consistent opposition to President Trump and his longtime focus on affordability.
Scott remains the nation’s most popular governor, according to the research firm Morning Consult, though recent pollingby the University of New Hampshire Survey Center suggests his approval rating has softened in recent years — perhaps a result of his controversial efforts to force school districts to consolidate.
Democrats in deep-blue Vermont are hoping to defeat not only Scott this November but first-term Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers, who was similarly unopposed in Tuesday’s Republican primary.
Three candidates took part in a spirited Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, each seeking to become a future leader of the party. Molly Gray, who previously held the post, prevailed — by a long shot. She won 60.7 percent of the vote, while former congressional staffer Ryan McLaren picked up 27.7 percent, and 2024 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Esther Charlestin drew 10.9 percent.
Gray, 42, of Burlington, served one term as lieutenant governor before unsuccessfully running for an open congressional seat in 2022. More recently, she served as executive director of the Vermont Afghan Alliance, helping immigrants find jobs and housing.
University of New Hampshire polls have indicated Rodgers, 61, of Glover, is more vulnerable to a Democratic challenge than Scott.
In the Republican primary for Vermont’s sole seat in the US House, Gerald Malloy defeated Mark Coester 76.4 percent to 21.8 percent. Both men have run unsuccessfully for Congress twice before.
Malloy, 64, of Weathersfield, will face off against US Representative Becca Balint, 58, of Brattleboro, who is seeking her third term in the House. No Democrats challenged her in Tuesday’s primary.
Like Scott, Balint is seen as a heavy favorite for reelection. Though Vermonters often elect Republicans to the governorship, they have not sent one to Congress for 26 years.
Paul Heintz can be reached at paul.heintz@globe.com. Follow him on X @paulheintz.