Vermont primary results
Hallquist becomes first transgender gubernatorial nominee
Incumbent Gov. Phil Scott won the Republican nomination for governor. Christine Hallquist won the Democratic nomination for governor, making her the first transgender gubernatorial candidate in the country.
Hallquist said in an interview with “Red & Blue” on CBSN that she was confident she would win the primary.
“Vermonters are going to elect me for what I’m going to do for Vermont,” Hallquist said. “Vermont has always been a leader in civil rights. We have some of the best transgender protection laws in the country. It’s a state that’s really welcomed me with open arms.”
Scott’s popularity in the state has dropped since he signed gun control laws in April. A Morning Consult poll from July found that Scott had an approval rating of 47 percent, a 38 point drop in approval since May 2016. Businessman Keith Stern challenged Scott from the right.
Through a loophole in Vermont’s laws, 14-year-old Ethan Sonneborn ran for the office as a Democrat. Vermont’s Constitution doesn’t have an age requirement, it just requires candidates to have lived in the state for four years.
“I think Vermonters should take me seriously because I have practical progressive ideas, and I happen to be 14, not the other way around,” the 14-year-old said in a recent gubernatorial forum. “I think that my message and my platform transcend age.”
Sonneborn spoke with CBS News reporter Ed O’Keefe about his candidacy.
Sen. Bernie Sanders has easily won Vermont’s Democratic primary, according to the Associated Press. However, Sanders is expected to turn down the nomination, as he has in the past, and continue serving as an independent.
