Role: Governor of Vermont (since January 2017)
Category: State Governors / Republican Governors

Summary

Phil Scott is the Governor of Vermont and the most moderate Republican governor in the country — governing a deep-blue state that gave Trump some of his lowest vote shares nationally. Scott is notable as the Republican governor most frequently at odds with his national party’s direction: he did not vote for Trump in 2020, has spoken against Trump’s character and policies on multiple occasions, and has been criticized by Vermont constituents for not doing enough to stand up to the Trump administration. His moderation makes him simultaneously a useful counterexample to the MAGA governor class and a potential obstacle in the Republican coalition — and a figure whose reluctance to confront Trump even from a position of clear disagreement illustrates the limits of Republican dissent.

Background

Born: August 4, 1958, Barre, Vermont
Education: University of Vermont (B.S.)
Career: Construction and paving business owner
Political career:

• Vermont State Representative (2001–2011)
• Vermont State Senator (2011–2015)
• Lieutenant Governor of Vermont (2011–2017)
• Governor of Vermont (January 2017–present)

Elections: Won 2016 gubernatorial race; re-elected in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024.

Did not vote for Trump: Scott publicly stated he did not vote for Trump in the 2020 election.

Trump Alignment (Or Lack Thereof)

Unique position: Phil Scott is the only Republican governor in a state that strongly opposes Trump, and his governance reflects that unique position. He has publicly distanced himself from Trump’s conduct while remaining within the Republican Party.

Vermont context: Vermont is one of the most progressive states in the nation. Scott’s repeated re-election as a Republican in Vermont speaks to his personal brand of moderation and bipartisanship.

Criticism for not doing more: Seven Days Vermont (July 2025) reported that “some think Scott should do more to stand up to Trump” — noting that his “low-key approach and hesitation to criticize the president is striking many as out of step with most Vermonters’ views.”

Immigration detentions: WAMC Northeast Public Radio (April 2025) reported that Scott addressed recent immigrant detentions in Vermont — suggesting he was navigating the tension between the Trump administration’s enforcement actions and Vermont’s immigrant-friendly values.

Immigration Enforcement

Scott has been reluctant to actively embrace Trump’s immigration enforcement priorities in a way that would alienate Vermont’s progressive voters. He has addressed immigrant detentions in Vermont from a less confrontational posture than most Republican governors.

Redistricting

Vermont has a single at-large congressional district held by Democrat Becca Balint; redistricting is not applicable.

Significance

Scott represents the extreme end of Republican moderation — a useful analytical counterpoint to the DeSantis/Abbott wing of the party. His failure to more forcefully oppose Trump despite clear personal disagreement illustrates how institutional Republican loyalty constrains even the most moderate members of the party from acting as an effective check.

For Trump Supporters: Questions Worth Considering

Governors are among the most powerful elected officials in the country — controlling state budgets, appointing agency heads, directing state law enforcement, and setting the political tone for millions of Americans.

The question every voter should ask of their governor, regardless of party: Is this official putting the interests of the state’s residents first — or the interests of a national political movement, party donors, or their own political future?

Here’s a question worth sitting with: If a Democratic governor had taken the same actions documented in this profile — the same policy decisions, the same use of state resources, the same relationships with donors or national figures — would you consider that acceptable? If not, then the standard shouldn’t change because of party affiliation.

Holding all elected officials to the same standard is what accountability means. It’s not partisan to ask whether your governor is delivering results for the people who elected them. It’s the most basic question in a democracy.