Rodgers Announces Re-election Bid, Focuses on Affordability and Enforcement
Vermont Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers officially announced his bid for re-election on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, speaking from the Vermont State House steps alongside dozens of supporters. Rodgers, who reportedly cast a tie-breaking vote earlier that day to elect Michael Drescher as Vermont’s next Associate Supreme Court Justice, outlined priorities including property tax relief, potential new nuclear energy development, and a shift in focus towards drug enforcement rather than new gun control legislation.
Rodgers, a former Democrat, has made affordability a central theme of his political platform. He stated he is “open” to a property tax freeze, acknowledging the significant financial strain on Vermonters. This comes as the state grapples with rising property taxes, which increased an average of 13.8% statewide in 2024, driven by local school spending decisions.
“We know that the Act 73 changes are going to take quite a bit of time,” Rodgers said, according to a report from Vermont Daily Chronicle. “So I’m certainly open to any kind of property tax freeze, or slowing it down, because having a 40% increase is unacceptable, because nobody’s pay went up that much.”
The Lieutenant Governor also addressed the possibility of building a new, modular nuclear reactor on the site of the former Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power plant in Vernon. He indicated support for the project if it could be proven safe, citing the increasing energy demands of data centers in the state.
“If it’s proven safe then we have a plug and pay to set it up where Yankee was… A lot of the new nuclears are safe and very efficient. It’s something we have to consider. One of the things I’m very concerned about is all of the energy the data centers are using,” Rodgers reportedly said.
On the issue of gun control, Rodgers took a firm stance against further restrictions, arguing that Vermont already has sufficient laws on the books. Instead, he advocated for increased enforcement, particularly in relation to violent drug crime. He believes a lack of enforcement has contributed to a perception of Vermont as an easy place to conduct illegal activity, leading to addiction and overdose deaths.
“I think we have plenty of laws on the books. We need to enforce those laws. Most of the gun crime is happening around drug crime. We have to do a far better job of enforcing the crime of drugs being brought into the state… Unfortunately we have gotten a reputation as an easy place to do business, leading to thousands of addictions and way too many deaths of Vermonters,” Rodgers stated.
Rodgers currently faces no primary challengers. Several Democratic candidates have announced their intention to run, including former Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray, 2024 gubernatorial candidate Esther Charlton, and former Peter Welch aide Ryan McLaren.
Rodgers’ campaign has garnered endorsements from a number of current and former Vermont elected officials, including Governor Phil Scott and former Governor Jim Douglas. Other endorsements include Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon, and several state representatives and senators, including Representatives Ashley Bartley, Carolyn Branagan, and Senator Scott Beck.
The Lieutenant Governor’s focus on affordability aligns with broader concerns among Vermont voters, as highlighted in reporting from VTDigger.org. The outlet noted that affordability, particularly property taxes, dominated conversations between candidates and constituents during the 2024 election cycle. Republicans sought to capitalize on voter discontent with rising costs, blaming Democratic supermajorities in the legislature.
Looking ahead to the 2026 election, the issue of property taxes is expected to remain a central point of contention. According to a report from the Vermont NEA, fixing tax cliffs will require approximately $50 million in non-property tax revenue to protect low- and middle-income households from increases in school tax bills. New property tax projections for 2025 suggest an average bill increase of over 20%.
Legislators are considering various options to address the rising costs, including adjusting the income-based property tax credit and potentially changing Act 127’s 5% cap on homestead property tax rate increases. Some lawmakers, like Representative Carolyn Branagan, have suggested eliminating the cap altogether.
