2000 United States Senate election in Vermont explained

Election Name:2000 United States Senate election in Vermont
Country:Vermont
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1994 United States Senate election in Vermont
Previous Year:1994
Next Election:2006 United States Senate election in Vermont
Next Year:2006
Election Date:November 7, 2000
Image1:File:Jim Jeffords (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Jim Jeffords
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:189,133
Percentage1:65.56%
Nominee2:Ed Flanagan
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:73,352
Percentage2:25.43%
U.S. Senator
Before Election:Jim Jeffords
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Jim Jeffords
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 2000 United States Senate election in Vermont took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords won re-election to a third term in office. In May 2001, Jeffords left the Republican Party and announced that he would become an independent who would caucus with the Democratic Party. His party exit broke the 50–50 lock in the Senate and effectively gave the Democrats the majority. Thus, that switch marked the first time since 1855 that Vermont had no Republicans in its entire congressional delegation.

Despite the 40-point victory, this is the last federal election in Vermont won by a Republican, and the last time as of 2024 that either party won this seat.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Independents and minor parties

Independents

Declared

Declined

General election

Flanagan was widely seen as having little chance of beating the highly popular Jeffords, who was thought of as a liberal Republican.[3] [4] Flanagan campaigned on "shaking up Washington" and portrayed himself as a reformer.[4] Both candidates supported same-sex civil unions and remained silent on the issue of same-sex marriage, but Flanagan, who was openly gay, noted receiving backlash from voters opposed to same-sex marriage.[3] The LGBT community in Vermont was divided between which candidate to support, as Jeffords had been strongly supportive of LGBT rights and had received a perfect score from the Human Rights Campaign.[4]

Results

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Democrats Waiting On Vermont and Delaware. The Washington Post. Rudin. Ken. August 20, 1999. December 29, 2021.
  2. Web site: Senator Jeffords on Firm Ground for Re-election Bid. The New York Times. October 5, 2006. July 19, 2021.
  3. Web site: Gay Senate candidate an underdog amid Vermont gay union backlash. CNN. Delaney. Bill. November 2, 2000. July 19, 2021.
  4. News: Gay Official Aims to Shake Up Senate. The Washington Post. Ferdin. Pamela. July 24, 2000. July 19, 2021.