April McCullum

Free Press Staff Writer

On the night Donald Trump became president, the liberal-minded members of the Vermont Progressive Party had their best night ever.

"While Bernie Sanders' political revolution is just beginning across the country, we have been building and inspiring here for decades," said Selene Colburn, a freshly elected Progressive representative from Burlington. "We have elected school board members, city councilors, statehouse reps, a state auditor, and tonight we are going to elect a lieutenant governor of Vermont."

The crowd at Burlington's Skinny Pancake restaurant cheered. That new lieutenant governor — David Zuckerman of Hinesburg — had begun his political career as a University of Vermont student, inspired by Sanders.

RESULTS: Zuckerman wins lt. governor's race

For more than two decades, Zuckerman built a reputation for wearing his views on his sleeve, for harnessing social change across Vermont, and for tackling issues in the Statehouse such as genetically modified food labels and marijuana legalization earlier than some mainline Democrats.

Zuckerman's yearlong campaign focused on rural economic issues, leveraged his relationships and won more than 50 percent of the popular vote using a hybrid Progressive/Democratic affiliation.

“He’s going to be the most progressive lieutenant governor in the country," said Josh Wronski, elections director for the Vermont Progressive Party.

Progressive gains extended beyond Vermont's No. 2 office. The party fielded a record 30 candidates, up from approximately 22 candidates in the last election, Wronski said. Together they raised about $500,000 without taking corporate contributions.

“Obviously, it’s the continuing presence of Bernie Sanders," said University of Vermont political science professor Garrison Nelson. "As long as Bernie Sanders continues to be a national figure I would say the local progressives will benefit.”

Zuckerman expects to preside over a Vermont Senate that leans further to the left. Sen. Tim Ashe, D/P-Chittenden, is in line for the role of president pro tempore, and four other senators hold Progressive affiliations.

Sen. Phil Baruth, who won re-election this year with a hybrid Democrat/Progressive label, said Ashe and Washington County Sen. Anthony Pollina had paved the way for the Progressive shift.

“It’s sort of allayed this fear that if somebody with a 'P' after their name moves into a position of responsibility or authority that the world’s going to come crashing down," Baruth said.

He said Democrats and Progressives now have a 23-senator coalition, plus Zuckerman's tie-breaking vote as lieutenant governor, to advance policies that help the working class.

“There’s a lot more margin for error now given those extra seats," Baruth saiid.

Progressives are also on track to have nine Progressives or Democrat/Progressive hybrids in the House of Representatives, up from six. They picked up a seat in Burlington and prevailed in tight races in Franklin County and Windsor County. One Progressive representative, Susan Hatch Davis, appeared to have lost her seat in Orange County. Wronski said the party expects a recount.

Zuckerman said Wednesday that his next steps include harvesting crops on his organic vegetable farm in Hinesburg and talking with Republican Governor-elect Phil Scott on Wednesday. Zuckerman said he would get Scott's advice about transitioning into the lieutenant governor's office.

This story posted on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. Contact April McCullum at 802-660-1863 or amccullum@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @April_McCullum.

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