A GOP primary race in the newly reshaped Orleans-4 House district will pit two GOP candidates against each other who otherwise would have advanced automatically to November’s general election under the prior district maps.
Vicki Strong is the incumbent state representative for Albany. However, following Gov. Phil Scott’s approval of the Legislature’s redrawn district maps in April, she must compete against John Courchaine, a fellow Republican, to keep her job.
“He [John Courchaine in Craftsbury] could be running with me for a two-seat district, but since it’s one seat now, we would be running against each other in the primary,” Strong told True North in a recent interview. “Whoever wins that goes on to run against Katherine Sims [also in Craftsbury] on the Democrat side.”
Strong has broad name recognition since she’s been in office since 2011. Courchaine is a political newcomer. One of their campaigns will end after Aug. 9 primary election, whereas before the redistricting process, both candidates could have appeared on the November ballot.
FACING A GOP CHALLENGER – Rep. Vicki Strong, R-Albany, will have a primary challenger largely due to the redistricting process that took place in Vermont over the past year.
When the state redraws all its state House and Senate maps each 10 years, the goal is to have its 150 representatives and 30 senators best aligned with changes in population.
Political observers note that there are winners and losers in this process. Strong commented on the new challenges this presents.
“It is more work — I’m not visibly campaigning in terms of signs yet, but I am getting out in the public and I’m very mindful that in the primary one of us will win or lose,” she said.
Being an incumbent has advantages for Strong. However, she said she wishes the two Republicans didn’t have to run against each other.
Paul Dame, chair of the Vermont GOP, said the shakeup in districts has his attention.
“Technically she has a primary, and that is a race that we are really watching,” he said. “That is a place that I do think the Democrats did some shenanigans on redistricting to disadvantage Republicans, because now you’ve got two [candidates] who used to be in a two-member district, but now one seat in a new one-seat district.”
Republican John Courchaine
In addition to having a challenger, Strong may have also lost supporters who were moved into another district by the maps, Dame said.
“They cut out most of what we consider the more conservative part of that district. … She’s lost a good chunk of her base, and she’s got a primary now. Of all our incumbents, Vicki is probably one who is on my top list for protecting,” Dame added.
While having a big gap in experience, the two GOP candidates champion conservative values. For example, Courchaine’s Facebook page indicates that he’s a tough critic of green energy.
“Well truth is, if you support green energy that destroys our land, [and] still use fossil fuel while you preach no fossil fuel and don’t care that the democrats wanna force this into compliance through taxation, you’re not a true Republican,” Courchaine wrote. “I am not perfect — yes I have attitude towards RINOs and democrats but Republicans love me as I will never give up.”
Courchaine expressed strong support for gun rights on July 4, posting a meme on social media that states “the holiday you are celebrating only exists because people were armed.”
Strong spoke out against excessive mandates during the COVID-19-related shutdowns and restrictions of the past two years. She also says Vermont taxes and regulations are harming Vermonters.
“The amount of years that we’ve had the majority dictating to us what the priorities are has led to us being in a severe state of economic decline, as far as the cost of living keeps going up, our taxes keep going up, our healthcare gets less accessible,” she said. “Everything that we are looking at, our prosperity is declining not improved. States that have better tax policies and conservative outlooks on the economy are doing way better than we are.”
Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.
This isn’t the only similar race. Addison 5 has two Republicans running against each other in a newly created two seat district that was one.
District borders are ill defined and for what real purpose?
3 rinos of the Vermont apocalypse
Scott, Benning and Dame
They and the cabal in Montpelier want the true patriots out, fighting each other…..this was design on purpose of course, meanwhile every article was about what was happening in Chittenden county, when the cabal was all in unison about this new districting….
somebody in charge should have had red lights and sirens going off in their heads.
Now we see the true plan and objective.
we have to be more clever than the snakes and as innocent as doves. We’ve been played once again, we’ve been betrayed once again by those whom are supposed to love and protect us.
Betrayed by a kiss. Beware.
Interesting how all across the state there are situations very similar to the one in this piece. I have yet to find where similar situations are up front and center in the opposition party’s primaries. Coincidence, by design, or some other strangeness taking over??
And what is even more curious, is this: The plan that was put in place lastly and approved by the RINO Governor, is the one that splits Rutland Town (a single member district for decades) into a portion with 2members, and a smaller portion married onto the city’s district with 1 member. All of this to be certain that our current representative, who beat a high profile Democrat in the last election would never be a problem for them again. So be it, for 10 years.
Sounds like district maneuvering so the GOP would lose a seat, so who was pushing the
redistricting ??……… Oh yeah, the liberals, and Vermont’s Conservative Governor thought
this was a good move, figures……………………………..