Gray: Time to resolve inequities in Vt.
Molly Gray, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, speaks at a car rally in Woodstock, Vermont, on Saturday. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed food insecurity and lack of broadband access like never before. But for lasting solutions on these issues, Vermont needs new leaders, said Molly Gray, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor who visited Woodstock on Saturday.
“We have massive inequity right here in our Vermont,” she said at the campaign rally on the high school grounds, organized by Women For A Change. “We have to transform our future. We have left a lot of Vermonters behind.”
Gray faces three opponents in the Aug. 11 Democratic primary, including two Chittenden County senators, Senate President Tim Ashe and Sen. Debbie Ingram; and candidate Brenda Siegel of Newfane. Incumbent Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman is running for governor.
At Saturday’s rally, Gray spoke of major issues facing society, including racial injustice and the pandemic. She emphasized the importance of being united as we take on these problems, including everyone in the Vermont community.
“Whether you’ve been in Vermont four years, four decades or four generations, we’re all Vermonters,” Gray said. “That’s the message we need to be sending. We need to come together.”
Gray, an assistant attorney general in Vermont, has deep roots in the Green Mountains. Her family has been in the state since the 1800s, and she was born and raised in Newbury, Vermont, where her family owns Four Corners Farm. She went on to attend the University of Vermont, becoming a Division-I cross-country skier. After college, she helped elect U.S. Rep. Peter 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 (VLS). 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. Gray, currently on leave from her state job while campaigning, also teaches night classes in international human rights at VLS.
When Gray looks at her state now, she sees myriad unresolved issues, including access to child care, paid family leave and climate change. As lieutenant governor, she wants to bring state agencies and groups together to resolve these important problems and invest in solutions.
“I’m going to fight for Vermonters every single day,” Gray said at the rally.
On schools, she pointed out that 41 percent of Vermont high school graduates don’t go on to further education. Gray said that underscores the importance of maintaining the state college system. The Vermont Colleges System came under intense scrutiny this spring, when a controversial plan to close three of its campuses was withdrawn after widespread public outcry. Now with a new chancellor at the helm, pressure remains to resolve chronic financial issues to make the colleges viable for the long term.
In an interview after Saturday’s gathering, Gray said the inequities she spoke of can only be resolved with new leaders.
“Same people, same outcomes,” she said. “It’s our responsibility to ask who’s at the table when we’re talking about economic injustice, social injustice, racial injustice, environmental injustice.”
Gray was frustrated to see lawmakers scramble for broadband funding this spring when she said the issue had been building for so long.
“It shouldn’t take a global pandemic to take care of basic economic injustices,” she said.
So far, Gray said Vermonters are responding to her message, noting the campaign has gained over 600 supporters and raised over $200,000. She emphasized the importance of resolving the inequities that exist right here in Vermont.
“I feel like we’re having a 1968 moment in 2020, and we need the same kind of transformative change.”
— Gareth Henderson
