Vermont's Phil Scott becomes first incumbent GOP governor to vote for Biden

(Image credit: https://twitter.com/RossMyNBC5/status/1323734902521712640)

published 3 November 2020

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) on Tuesday became the first incumbent Republican governor in the U.S. to vote for the Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, for president. Scott, who said he has never backed a Democrat for the White House before, apparently reached the decision after "some soul searching."

Scott's vote isn't entirely surprising, given that he's a moderate Republican who leads a solidly blue state and is heavily favored to win re-election. So, ultimately, eschewing President Trump doesn't feel like a huge risk for him.

Still, the fact that Scott not only refused to vote for Trump but actively backed his opponent is a rarity. For example, Massachusetts' Republican Gov. Charlie Baker left his presidential vote blank, and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said he voted for former President Ronald Reagan, who is no longer living.

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As for Vermont's gubernatorial race, however, Scott did wind up sticking with his party.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.