Sen. Scott entering race for Lt. Gov.
12:20 p.m.
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By Peter Hirschfeld Vermont Press Bureau - Published: December 1, 2009
MONTPELIER – Sen. Phil Scott, a five-term Republican from Washington County, will announce today that he is running for lieutenant governor in 2010.
The 51-year-old Vermont native will formally enter the race this evening at a meeting of the Associated General Contractors of Vermont at the Sheraton Hotel in Burlington. Scott, co-owner of Dubois Construction in Montpelier, calls himself a moderate Republican whose aisle-crossing negotiation skills will serve him well in the statewide post.
"I feel that I could be helpful in the future as a bridge between the administration and the Legislature," Scott said Monday evening. "It seems that we've had somewhat of a gap there, and we need to bridge that gap in order to move forward. I have a lot of experience facilitating tough negotiations between both parties, and I think that experience lends itself to this position."
The 2010 contest to succeed Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie became clearer Monday as two subjects of electoral speculation made their intentions known. In addition to Scott's announcement, Sen. Randy Brock, a Franklin County Republican and former state auditor widely considered as a potential lieutenant governor candidate, said he will not seek any statewide offices. Mark Snelling, son of former governor Richard Snelling, announced months ago that he will run for lieutenant governor on the Republican ticket.
Democratic party officials have said they have several possible candidates for the post, however none have yet entered the race.
Scott said his fiscally conservative views have been shaped by his experience as a business owner.
"You have to dig deep sometimes and you have to be realistic about where the next dollar is coming from … And that comes at a price sometimes," Scott says. "You have to make decisions that maybe are not popular, but ones that are necessary to survive. From a fiscal standpoint, that's what we have to do to survive in Vermont."
He's more liberal on social issues, however, a trait he attributes to his "libertarian streak." Scott voted to pass the same-sex marriage bill during the last legislative session and then voted to override the governor's veto of the legislation.
"I don't know if it's a Yankee thing or what, but I just feel as though people should be able to do what they want to do, to some extent, and I think that's reflected in my social views," he said.
Scott is perhaps as well known for his racing career as he is for his legislating. His success as a Late Model driver at Barre's Thunder Road has earned him two "King of the Road" titles as well as a campaign-ready moniker – "The Flying Senator."
While Scott may be a well-known figure in central Vermont, he admits he'll have to work to improve his name recognition elsewhere in the state.
"I think we're all guilty of thinking we're better known than we are, and I'm trying to be realistic with this," Scott said. "I'm probably not that well known, maybe even more so because in my work in the Senate, I don't seek the limelight. I keep my head down and I try to accomplish what I've set out to do."
Scott lives in Montpelier and was born in Barre. He has been in the Vermont Senate since 2001, and is now the chairman of the Senate Institutions Committee, which oversees the annual creation of the capital bill that pays for large state government projects and buildings. Scott is also vice chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
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