MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sue Minter spent Monday mostly in vote-rich Chittenden County, hoping to ride a big Democratic turnout to victory, while her Republican challenger, Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, went on a 14-county sprint around the state and said he felt “overwhelming support.”
Scott, a part-time racecar driver, began before 5 a.m. in Berlin, went north with stops in Morrisville and Newport, then south through Island Pond and down the Connecticut River Valley as far as Brattleboro, before crossing the mountains to the western side of the state, traveling from Bennington to St. Albans.
Scott, who has served three two-year terms in the No. 2 post, said he was “very pleased” with the support he was seeing during “honk-and-wave” stops along his route.
“There’s just an incredible amount of support that we’ve seen throughout Vermont,” said Scott, 58. “The amount of people coming by and giving thumbs up, beeping horns, has been tremendous.”
Minter, 55, who was in southern Vermont over the weekend, spent much of Monday in Burlington, visiting firehouses, coffee shops and other small businesses, with part of her time spent on the phone reaching out to voters her campaign still listed as undecided.
Both Scott and Minter are seeking to replace Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin, who decided against running for a fourth two-year term.
They have focused during the last days of the campaign on their core economic messages, with the Republican emphasizing holding the line on taxes and fees and the Democrat saying she wants to strengthen Vermont’s downtowns and help struggling students and families with two years tuition-free at public community or technical colleges.
Minter said she was happy to be part of a Democratic team presenting a unified message, with presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch all looking strong in Vermont and many of the state’s residents - including Scott - strongly opposed to Republican nominee Donald Trump. Minter also has the support of independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Widespread concern about the presidential race “brings more people out to vote,” Minter said. “I do believe in Vermont, when lots of people come to the polls, that benefits Democrats.” That, in combination with her own campaign’s “incredible get-out-the-vote effort throughout the state” was giving her confidence, Minter said.
Scott, who disavowed Trump early in his campaign, said he was not worried about a Democratic wave.
“I think Vermonters are independent-minded,” Scott said. As for his party’s presidential nominee being Trump, “I’m not feeling any backlash at all in that regard.”
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