Two First-Time Democrats Are Outraising Every Recent Vermont Governor Challenger
Vermont’s 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary has drawn more money than the party has seen at this stage in years. Amanda Janoo and Aly Richards, the two Democrats competing for the nomination to face Republican Gov. Phil Scott, raised $245,000 and $366,000 respectively, according to filings with the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office.
$611,000 raised combined by Janoo and Richards as of July 2026, compared to less than $40,000 raised by Scott’s challengers at this same stage in 2022 and 2024.
That fundraising gap is not a small statistical blip. It represents a 15-fold increase over what Scott’s recent opponents had at this point in the race, and both candidates credit an anti-incumbent climate nationally for the surge in donor interest.
Phil Scott Is Seeking His 6th Term With His Lowest Approval on Record
Scott, who has served as Vermont’s governor since 2017, is running for a sixth two-year term. A University of New Hampshire poll released this week found Scott at his lowest job approval rating on record among likely voters. Separately, data from roughly 30 states that have held 2026 primaries shows an above-average number of incumbent members of Congress losing their seats this cycle.
Neither Janoo nor Richards has held elected office before. Both have pointed to recent first-time Democratic primary wins in New York City and Denver as proof that inexperience is not the liability it once was.
“You know, thank you for your service. We don’t have term limits in Vermont. But we have common sense.”
Aly Richards, Democratic candidate for Vermont governor, July 2026
Most Vermont Democratic Primary Voters Still Don’t Know Either Candidate
The fundraising numbers have not yet translated into name recognition. The same UNH poll found that a majority of Vermont Democratic primary voters said they did not know enough about either candidate to choose between them. That means the primary remains genuinely open, and the next several weeks of campaigning will likely decide it.
The Vermont primary is scheduled for August 11, 2026. Whichever Democrat wins will face Scott, who remains a popular crossover figure despite his falling numbers, in November.
What You Can Do Now
-
Vermont voters: Check your registration at olvr.vermont.gov before the August 11 primary deadline. Vermont law requires you to be registered by the Wednesday before the primary to vote in it.
-
Call the Vermont Democratic Party at (802) 229-1783 and ask how you can volunteer for candidate outreach in low-information districts where voters don’t yet know the candidates.
-
Contact Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas’s office at (802) 828-2363 to request that candidate forums be publicized more widely, especially in rural counties where name recognition is lowest.
-
Donate directly to either campaign at amandajanoo.com or alyrichards.com if you want to influence which Democrat faces Scott in November. The primary is 19 days away.
Sources
VTDigger: Statehouse Know-How or Outsider’s Perspective, Vermont’s 2 Democratic Governor Candidates Vermont Secretary of State: Campaign Finance Filings University of New Hampshire Survey Center: Vermont Governor Approval Poll 2026