Joe Biden

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott Breaks With Party, Votes for Biden

"I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t enough for me to just not vote. I had to vote against"

Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott speaks to reporters after voting on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in his hometown of Berlin, Vt. Scott said he voted for Democrat Joe Biden for president because he believes the former vice president can do more to bring the country together. He said it was the first time in his life he's voted for a Democrat.
AP Photo/Wilson Ring

Vermont's Republican governor, Phil Scott, said that he voted for Democrat Joe Biden for president on Tuesday, making him the first Republican governor in the nation to acknowledge voting for the Democratic presidential candidate.

“As many of you knew, I didn’t support President Trump. I wasn’t going to vote for him,” said Scott, who has never backed a Democrat before. “But then I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t enough for me to just not vote. I had to vote against.”

"I put country over party," Scott said after casting his vote in his hometown of Berlin, Vermont. He also said he believes the former vice president can do more to bring the country together.

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Source: AP

In the gubernatorial race in Vermont, Scott voted for himself as he battles against Democratic Lt. Governor David Zuckerman.

Prior to the election, Scott said he would not vote for Donald Trump, without sharing who he intended to support instead. Scott has been critical of the Trump administration before as well.

A lot of the races in Vermont are a foregone conclusion, but some in the state are being tracked closely.

A couple of other current Republican governors have said they aren’t voting for Trump, but they said they weren’t voting for Biden, either.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday he left his ballot blank for president. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says he voted for President Ronald Reagan, who died 16 years ago.

NBC/The Associated Press
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