It’s Political Debate Season, and Vermont Just Served Up This Gem

Just for shucks and giggles, let’s take a look at the Vermont lieutenant governor’s race. That’s where Democrat Molly Gray is running against incumbent Republican John Rodgers. They had a debate, following a format I think is pretty cool. The candidates get to ask questions of each other at one point, and they remain quiet while their opponent answers.

The other cool thing about this debate is this exchange when Rodgers asks Gray about her lack of activism on behalf of “migrant workers” on her own family’s farm, the same farm she’s bragged about in her own campaign ads and interviews.

The Lt. Gov’s race in Vermont does not get a ton of coverage but this has to be one of the most brutal questions I’ve ever seen one candidate ask another and her answer was so smug. https://t.co/f0Dq6R2bU3

— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) October 8, 2026

This is a teachable moment for the rest of us into the mind of a leftist. Isn’t it amazing how smoothly and psychopathically she deflected the question her opponent asked and tried to put him on the defensive for daring to question her?

This requires a deeper dive, so here’s a transcript of the exchange in full:

Rodgers: Miss Gray, you talk constantly about your family farm. Your campaign website also says you believe everyone has the right to live with dignity and ensure humane treatment. But your family farm was at the center of serious labor violations around its treatment of H-2A migrant workers. Why did you not speak out against the mistreatment of migrant workers on your family farm, and did you use your influence to direct the investigation?

Gray: Wow. You know, John, seems like kind of a new low here. I’m on the ballot. My experience, my background, my policies are on the ballot. My family is not on the ballot. So I’m going to give you an opportunity to ask a different question.

This is where the video cuts out, but weren’t you wondering if Rodgers had the backbone to double down? Wonder no more.

Rodgers: That’s my question. You talk about your family farm throughout your campaign and on your website. You talk about being there. There’s tons of pictures of you there, and I’m just — that’s my question.

Gray: Vermonters have a chance in this election to really think about the type of leadership they want in the state. When I think about what we see nationally right now, I think about what I want for my kids. I don’t want a self-serving, self-interested bully who not only bullies this town and fails to follow the laws that he helped create. Yeah. I’m disappointed. I think that there’s all sorts of questions you could ask me today about policy decisions, but going after my family, that’s just a new low and we deserve better.

Mikaela Lefrak (Moderator): I would like to ask you to follow up on one element of the question. I think John Rodgers had asked you if you had used your influence as a former lieutenant governor in any way during this.

Gray: Of course not.

Before we go any further, hats off to a public radio moderator, of all people. Mikaela Lefrak, one of the leading voices from Vermont Public, moderated the debate and actually turned the screws a little tighter on Gray after her embarrassing non-answer to Rodgers’ question.

Okay, let’s get back to the farmer’s daughter who, all of a sudden, wants to make talking about her role as a farmer’s daughter off limits. That’s what she calls herself in this ad, using her connection to her family’s farm to get votes. Once you put something like this in a political ad, talking about it is fair game. Them's the rules.

Now, when certain shenanigans may have been happening on that farm, things which had to be addressed by the government, and her opponent brings it up, Gray goes to the leftist playbook so often used these days against conservatives. It’s a "new low" to notice just how low those Democrats will go.

Gray tried to shift the focus away from what was happening on her family farm to a story about Rodgers attacking Gray’s family. That’s not what he was doing. He was asking her about her decision on whether or not to speak up about labor violations on her own family’s farm. She never answered his question.

Instead, she not only attacked Rodgers for asking it, but also condescendingly directed him to ask another question.

Don’t count on Vermont’s legacy media to cover this the way it actually happened. I’m old enough to remember when news organizations didn’t wait for certain things to come to light in a candidates’ debate before doing investigations of their own. But in this case, Burlington’s WCAX-TV filed a report only on what the candidates said, never once critically interpreting what was actually said.

We’re talking Ron Burgundy-level superficiality in news coverage at that station. The “print media” coverage of the debate wasn’t much better in terms of critical analysis of what the candidates said, though it did a fair job covering how the candidates compare on the issues.

As for Rodgers, sure, he’s a Republican now, but previously, he had served in the state legislature as a Democrat for many years. This is Vermont, after all, where the best you’re going to get on the Republican side is a RINO. But these days, the choice is too often between a RINO and a card-carrying member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). This is the state that keeps Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in power, after all. 

Why does any of this matter? It’s just confirmation that no matter where you go in this country, if you notice something bad that a Democrat does, you’re guilty of the offense of noticing. And if you say something, you’re a bully. Even in Vermont.

It’s all enough to make me miss this legend of Vermont politics.

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