Lt. Gov. Molly Gray running for U.S. House
The U.S. and Vermont flags flying in Bridgewater, Vt. (Gareth Henderson File Photo)
Vermont’s lieutenant governor has kicked off her campaign for the U.S. House.
Lt. Gov. Molly Gray (D) announced her candidacy on Monday, about a week after U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) confirmed that he was running for the Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who is not seeking reelection next year. If elected to the U.S. House, Gray would become the first woman to represent Vermont in Congress.
Gray, a native Vermonter, was sworn in as Vermont’s 82nd lieutenant governor in January 2020. In an interview with WCAX this week, Gray said she understands the issues facing Vermonters, which include a lack of affordable housing and the need for affordable health care and child care.
“I have the experience not only to be ready on day-one, to get an office open and off the ground and to get to work for Vermonters, but I have a deep understanding of the needs of our state, and I’ve served as lieutenant governor and I’ll continue to serve throughout the rest of my term,” Gray told WCAX on Monday.
Gray, 37, is a former assistant attorney general for the state, and she grew up on her family’s farm in Newbury, Vermont. She attended college at the University of Vermont. After graduating from UVM, she helped elect Welch to Congress and worked for him as a Congressional aide in Washington, D.C. Gray would later spend three years working for the Red Cross engaging the U.S. on humanitarian issues.
Her strong interest in human rights followed Gray back to her home state, where she attended Vermont Law School. She later helped launch the International Code of Conduct Association, the first global initiative mandated to oversee the human rights compliance of private security contractors.
Mike Smith to retire from agency leadership role
Following a long career in state government, Secretary Mike Smith will retire from the top job at the Vermont Agency of Human Services at the end of the year.
This will cap Smith’s second stint leading the state’s largest agency. Over the past two years, Smith has been a central figure in the state’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic — including overseeing the state’s vaccination efforts. He was appointed to the agency’s secretary role in late 2019, coming out of retirement to take the familiar job.
“I don’t think he knew what he was getting himself into, because within a month the pandemic began,” Gov. Phil Scott said at his regular Tuesday press conference. “I think back on how fortunate we were that his wife, Mary, allowed him to come back, because without him, I’m not sure we would have led the nation in so many categories, from testing, to vaccination and beyond.”
At Tuesday’s briefing, Smith thanked the governor, his voice breaking with emotion as he offered the following words:
“As a former Navy SEAL, the height of compliment in leadership is when you say that you would go into battle with someone, and I would go into battle any day with the governor,” Smith said.
In a Monday announcement from Scott’s office, Smith said though the pandemic kept him in his current role longer than expected, it was still tough to leave the job.
“There will never be a good time to leave. When I told the Governor of my intention to retire this summer, I thought we would be well on our way toward the endemic phase of this public health crisis,” Smith said in the statement. “The Delta variant has made our jobs a bit more difficult, but nonetheless, we have testing and vaccination programs that are the envy of the rest of the country and we have protected many Vermonters from the more serious outcomes of this virus. … I am very proud of the work that the Agency has accomplished over the last two years, and I am confident the Agency will continue to thrive.”
Smith, who grew up in Woodstock, Vermont, served in the U.S. Navy, first with the Underwater Demolition Team 21 and then as a member of SEAL Team Two. He served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1977-78 and as deputy state treasurer from 1995-99. Smith also served as the secretary of the Agency of Administration and secretary of the Agency of Human Services in the administration of Gov. Jim Douglas.
Deputy Human Services Secretary Jenney Samuelson, who has played a key role in the state’s COVID-19 response, will serve as interim secretary following Smith’s departure.
In addition to its role in the pandemic response, the Agency of Human Services oversees six state departments (including the Department of Health), 12 district offices, and a network of community partners and providers.
— Gareth Henderson
