Molly Gray Wins Vermont Lieutenant Governor Race

Voters in Vermont chose Molly Gray to return to the lieutenant governor's office on Tuesday, ending the term of Republican incumbent John Rodgers. Gray, a human rights lawyer based in Burlington, secured a decisive victory in a race that polls had predicted would be one-sided.

Rodgers conceded the election approximately two and a half hours after polls closed. At the time of his concession, Gray led by a margin of 60 percent to 38 percent, with roughly 70 percent of the vote tallied. He issued a concession email from his home in Glover, stating that he respected the voters' choice and wished Gray well as she prepared to serve the state.

In a speech at a Democratic Party event in Burlington, Gray highlighted her campaign's refusal to accept corporate PAC money. She said she felt the race was won in a positive manner, with a focus on housing and health care. Gray promised to begin work immediately, citing her experience and urgency in preparing for the challenges ahead.

The candidates took opposing stances on affordability during the campaign. Gray supported raising taxes on high-income residents and second-home owners to fund universal primary care and lower property taxes. Rodgers opposed tax increases, advocating instead for fiscal restraint and reduced business regulations. Rodgers also criticized Gray for suggesting large dairy farms might not be viable in Vermont, a comment she said was taken out of context.

In the final weeks, Rodgers intensified his attacks, questioning Gray's commitment to the role and pointing to a $1,728 fine paid in early 2025 for violations at the 4 Corners Farm in South Newbury where she grew up. Gray called the criticism disgraceful, noting she has no day-to-day involvement in the farm. She countered by noting that Rodgers agreed to pay a $2,500 fine for license violations at his own cannabis farm in Glover.

Rodgers spent his final day on the trail visiting polling places in Chittenden and Washington counties. He visited the Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks in Montpelier for a dessert and spoke to voters at the Barre Civic Center Auditorium. Before voting, he suggested that the Republican label was a burden and claimed the media had not fact-checked Gray's statements on her health care proposals.

Gray previously served as lieutenant governor from 2021 through 2023 before leaving the post to run for U.S. Congress. After her unsuccessful bid, she worked as the executive director of the Vermont Afghan Alliance, a nonprofit in Burlington that supports Afghan refugees.