VERMONT — Republican Phil Scott beat Democrat Sue Minter in the Vermont governor’s race with a surprisingly large spread, 53 percent to 44 percent, with 3 percent going to Liberty Union candidate Bill “Spaceman” Lee. Scott’s victory follows six years of Democrat Peter Shumlin in the state’s top office.
Scott won the state’s more rural areas, but also dominated in heavily populated Chittenden County. The popular three-term lieutenant governor and racecar driver at Thunder Road, however, followed six years of Democrat Peter Shumlin’s activist agenda and failures in implementing his highly touted health care reform. 
Scott, who has said he will focus on creating jobs and making the state a more affordable place to live, was the only bright spot for state Republicans. Democrats kept a dominant hold on the Legislature with majorities in both the House and Senate and captured most of the other state offices.
In a bright spot for the Progressive Party, their candidate David Zuckerman, running as a Progressive-Democrat, swept into the Lt. Governor’s post leading Republican Randy Brock 52-46, with Liberty Union party candidate Boots Wardinski getting 2 percent. 
Democrat incumbent Sen. Patrick Leahy was easily elected to his eighth term in the U.S. Senate over Republican Scott Milne, 62-32 percent, while U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, Vermont’s lone congressman, represented both the Republican and Democratic parties earning 90 percent of the vote. 
In other statewide races, the results were: 
• Auditor of Accounts: Democrat Doug Hoffer beat Republican Dan Feliciano: 56-39 percent. 
• Attorney General: Democrat T.J. Donovan beat Republican Deb Bucknam: 67-29 percent. 
• Secretary of State: Independent Jim Condos beat Liberty Union Mal Herbert, 90-10 percent. 
• State Treasurer: Beth Pearce, independent, beat Progressive Don Schramm, 83-13 percent, with 4 percent to Liberty Union Murray Ngoima.