Montpelier – Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV) has released its first set of endorsements this election season for candidates for the Vermont Legislature. These candidates are all in races in the August 9th Primary Elections.
Through its endorsements, VCV aims to educate voters across the state on candidates whose values and actions align with our vision for Vermont to advance and defend policies that protect the environment and promote health, while advancing civil rights, social, racial, and economic justice, and strengthening our democracy.
This initial round of VCV endorsements focuses on legislative candidates who have demonstrated strong environmental leadership in the State House or in their communities, and who are facing competitive Primary races. VCV will endorse additional statewide and legislative candidates in the coming weeks.
To inform our endorsement process, VCV closely tracks legislators’ actions at the State House, including key votes on environmental bills and sponsorship of legislation that will advance the Environmental Common Agenda that VCV releases each legislative session, in partnership with other advocacy organizations.
VCV’s digital Environmental Scorecard is available online so voters can see how lawmakers voted on priority bills to act on climate change, ensure clean water, protect Vermonters’ health, and provide safe and accessible elections. For new candidates, VCV requires responses to a candidate questionnaire that provides context on a candidate’s environmental background and positions on a range of issues facing the state.
“Vermont Conservation Voters is pleased to endorse this initial list of candidates. We are in a time of profound challenges and historic opportunities. We believe that these individuals will fight for a brighter future for Vermont that centers on reducing climate pollution while building more equitable communities, investing in natural solutions, protecting wildlife habitat, and training a workforce for the 21st century,” said Lauren Hierl, Executive Director of Vermont Conservation Voters. “We look forward to helping these candidates win their races in the coming months, and, once they are elected, working with them to advance policies that help rebuild a better Vermont that works for everyone.”
VCV’s initial list of endorsed candidates for the Vermont State Legislature is as follows:
SENATE
Phil Baruth (Chittenden Central 1)
Tanya Vyhovsky (Chittenden Central 1)
Ginny Lyons (Chittenden Southeast 1)
Kesha Ram Hinsdale (Chittenden Southeast 1)
Nader Hashim (Windsor 1)
HOUSE
Peter Conlon (Addison 2)
Mike Yantachka (Chittenden 5)
Jill Krowinski (Chittenden 16)
Ryan Addario (Chittenden 16)
Conor Casey (Washington 4)
Marc Mihaly (Washington 6)
John Bartholomew (Windsor 1)
Coach Christie (Windsor 6)
Jim Masland (Windsor Orange 2)
Stay tuned for Vermont Conservation Voters’ additional statewide and legislative endorsements, which will be released in the coming weeks.
###