Supporting McLaren for Lieutenant Governor

To the Editor:
I am voting for Ryan McLaren to be Vermont’s next lieutenant governor because he brings people together. Ryan has a proven record of working across the aisle to get things done. As Washington-style dysfunction has crept into Montpelier, too many issues have become needlessly contentious, with the Scott administration and the Legislature increasingly trying to outmaneuver one another.
As a senior advisor to Senator Peter Welch, Ryan has worked with Gov. Scott to deliver real results for everyday Vermonters. What impresses me most is the respect he shows people, even when they hold different views. He knows how government works—and, just as importantly, where it is falling short. He is willing to challenge a system that is not working for ordinary Vermonters and is not afraid to criticize his own party when it plays politics with an issue.
As lieutenant governor, Ryan will meet directly with Vermonters, including people like his parents, who grew up in Barnet and St. Johnsbury, and bring what he learns back to Montpelier for action. At a recent gathering, when asked how he would address the challenges we face, he said the answer is not his solutions, but “our” solutions. Ryan understands that Vermonters know how to solve our own problems.
Vermont needs less divisive politics and more leadership grounded in action and belonging. We need a lieutenant governor who will roll up his sleeves, work with anyone, and fight for a state where solutions come from everyday Vermonters, and not imposed on us.
Steve Isham
St. Johnsbury