Republicans will hold on to all three Rutland County Senate seats. Incumbents Kevin Mullin, Peg Flory and Brian Collamore say they're looking forward to returning to Montpelier.
Republican candidates secured victories despite strong challenges by Democrats Cheryl Hooker and Korrine Rodrigue.
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Mullin has been in the senate since 2003, Flory was appointed to the Senate in 2009 and Collamore won his seat in 2014.
The three campaigned as a team, and Collarmore and Flory said they believed their message of fiscal restraint resonated with voters.
“I think most people in Rutland County and the state of Vermont are concerned about the affordability issue of the state and the fact that the budget can’t continue to go at about a 5 percent clip in terms of spending if you only take in 3 percent,” Collamore said. "It’s just not sustainable."
Peg Flory agreed, and said their unified approach to the campaign also appealed to many voters.
“The fact that we were running as a team, I think people recognized the importance of working as a team,” she said.
Kevin Mullin admitted he was worried about the effect Donald Trump’s candidacy might have on who would show up to vote. But he says he was reassured by the large voter turnout, believing it showed people in Rutland County and across Vermont were invested in their choices.
