Does Addison County want to be represented in the Legislature by a candidate who spouts conspiracy theories about the Covid vaccine; opposes women’s reproductive rights; and attacks expanded voting rights as “Progressive, Socialist and Communist plots”?

I sure hope not.

Here’s what can be learned from the views expressed on Facebook by Jon Christiano, the Republican Party’s candidate for Vermont House in Addison-5. This district includes Bridport, Weybridge and most of New Haven. It also newly encompasses a portion of northwestern Middlebury. 

Mr. Christiano’s Facebook page from his unsuccessful 2020 run for Vermont Senate claims that “Planned Parenthood kills 345,871 innocent, defenseless babies a year.” He touted an extremist conspiracy theory that “inhalation and skin contact” could spread the Covid vaccine from a vaccinated to an unvaccinated person. This is a dangerous and inaccurate belief, which Facebook seems to have recently removed from Mr. Christiano’s page because it is so wildly untrue. He further, untruthfully claimed that this alleged skin or airborne contact with the vaccine could cause a pregnant woman to have a miscarriage, spontaneously abort the fetus, and/or be unable to have children. 

Mr. Christiano also criticized the Global Warming Solutions Act, which is the major new law (passed over the veto of Gov. Phil Scott) aimed at protecting Vermont’s climate from global warming. And in case there’s any question where Mr. Christiano stands on national issues, he favorably cited right-wing extremist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on his campaign Facebook page (https://bit.ly/3MpWuMk), which also features a “Trump Pence 2020” sign.

The other candidate in this race is Jubilee McGill. She is an experienced, reasonable Democrat who understands the reality of climate change, favors reproductive choice, and works professionally to improve local housing conditions.

Greg Dennis

Cornwall