[D]emocrats in the Vermont House of Representatives have unanimously voted to give House Speaker Mitzi Johnson another two-year term.
The South Hero lawmaker was nominated to the Speakership at a Democratic caucus held on Saturday at the Statehouse. The Speaker oversees the House and assigns members to standing committees.
The official election for Speaker will be held on the first day of the legislative session in January. Republicans hold 43 seats.
Johnson celebrated the party’s 30 new members and veto-proof majority, telling her fellow lawmakers seeing such a crowded room was “a pretty good feeling.” Democrats hold 95 seats in the 150-member chamber and hold a veto-proof majority when combined with seven Progressives and potentially five independents.
Johnson also told House Democrats the upcoming legislative session held “a pretty tall order of expectations.”
“I just want people to remember why they ran for office and why they ran as a Democrat and why you’re here. And what gives you energy and sustenance while you’re here – because we’re going to have some long days,” she said.
The party’s members also elected Rep. Jill Krowinski, of Burlington, to once again serve as Majority Leader. Newfane Rep Emily Long, who served as the Deputy Assistant Majority Leader last session, was elected to be the Assistant Majority Leader, or Whip.
Members also elected Brattleboro Rep. Tristan Toleno to serve as the Assistant Majority Leader for Strategy and Development, and Essex Junction Rep. Dylan Giambatista to be Assistant Majority Leader for Communications. The two roles are new this session, and replace the deputy assistant majority leader and caucus clerk positions.
“After we got the election results and we saw that we would be growing our caucus to 95, we thought we really need to review the leadership structure that we have in place,” Krowinski said.
The development and strategy role will be charged with “building the next generation of leaders,” Krowinski said, which will chiefly include mentoring new members and long-term policy strategy. The communications position is in charge of helping caucus members communicate with constituents and “making sure people know what bills are coming up, and what’s happening in committees, and what’s happening in the other body,” Krowinski said, referring to the Vermont Senate.
Hartland Rep. John Bartholomew was selected to be the at-large member on the House Rules Committee.
None of the races were contested on Saturday, and every caucus leader was selected by a unanimous voice vote.