New England’s two Republican governors break away from party and DON’T vote for Trump with Vermont’s Phil Scott backing Biden and Massachusetts’ Charlie Baker leaving his choice blank
- On Tuesday Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced he broke away from his party and voted for Joe Biden saying, ‘I put country over party’
- ‘Donald Trump has had four years to unite this country and has failed to do so. I think [Biden] can heal the country. I think he can bring us together,’ Scott said
- Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said he left his choice for president ‘blank’ when asked who he marked on his ballot
- He similarly voted for neither Trump nor Hillary Clinton in the 2016 race
- Baker is among the Republicans that Biden is reportedly considering for cabinet if he wins the election, but he has said he intends to finish his term as governor
Two of New England’s Republican governors have broken away from their party and did not support President Donald Trump on Election Day.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott became the first incumbent Republican governor to publicly support Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday declaring: ‘I put country over party.’
Meanwhile in Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, an outspoken critic of Trump, said ‘I blanked it’ when asked who he voted for in the presidential election.
The Republican figure had previously stated that he did not intend to vote for Trump. Back in 2016 he didn’t back Trump or Hillary Clinton.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott became the first incumbent Republican governor to publicly support Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday declaring: ‘I put country over party’
Meanwhile in Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, an outspoken critic of Trump, said he ‘blanked’ his ballot when asked if he marked it in support of Biden or Trump
The governor has slammed Trump for his handling of the pandemic and called out the president for his own COVID-19 diagnosis in October. He also said Trump lacked ‘compassion and leadership’ in response to racial justice protests this spring and summer.
Baker is among the Republicans that Biden is reportedly considering for cabinet posts if he wins the election.
Baker has previously said he intends to finish his term as governor.
‘You’re going to be stuck with me for at least the next two years, anyway. It’s flattering to be considered, but I like the job I have,’ he told reporters in a news conference last month.
Gov. Scott told reporters Tuesday after he cast his vote in Berlin that voting for Biden was a difficult decision for him.
‘It’s been a bit of a struggle for me, but I ended up voting for Joe Biden,’ he admitted.
He had publicly said for months that he will not vote for Trump, but never stated who he might vote for instead.
‘I’ve been quite adamant in not supporting the president. I won’t be voting for President Trump,’ he said during a coronavirus news briefing in August.
Biden pictured Tuesday speaking to supporters in Philadelphia
Gov. Scott told reporters Tuesday after he cast his vote in Berlin that voting for Biden was a difficult decision for him. ‘It’s been a bit of a struggle for me, but I ended up voting for Joe Biden,’ he said.
Before Tuesday he had never backed a Democrat before.
‘Donald Trump has had four years to unite this country and has failed to do so. I think [Biden] can heal the country. I think he can bring us together.’
Scott gave a message to Biden saying: ‘It’s also my hope that he will realize that it wasn’t the right that got him elected, if he IS elected. It wasn’t the extreme left … It’s the moderates, the centrists … It’s because the moderates and the centrists came to his defense.’
Scott is up for re-election himself this year but his opponent Democrat Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman is heavily favored to win.
Vermont has leaned blue in every presidential eletion since 1988. whjen the state backed President George H. W. Bush.