The first Democrat has announced her candidacy for governor. 

Amanda Janoo, an economist raised in Strafford and now living in Burlington, is a first-time candidate for statewide office. She will presumably face the daunting task of unseating Gov. Phil Scott, the long-running, most popular governor in the country, according to polls. 

“We’re all being called to step up in ways maybe we never expected,” Janoo said in an interview, explaining her decision to run. “From an economic perspective, Phil Scott has been talking about affordability for almost a decade now, and it really hasn’t materialized. If anything, things have gotten insanely expensive.”

Despite Vermont’s strong Democratic leanings in congressional elections, Democratic candidates for governor have struggled to sway voters when challenging Scott, a Republican who is yet to declare whether he’ll seek a sixth term. Scott has won more than 68% of the general election vote in each of his last three campaigns, winning by increasing margins each time. 

A detailed list of policy priorities — including free primary and preventative health care — accompanied Janoo’s announcement. The top bullet point appeared tethered to the state’s political moment: rejecting forced school consolidation.

The priority is a clear counterpoint to Scott’s push to transform Vermont’s school governance and finance systems, consolidating schools and districts along the way. While many top Democrats in the Legislature have cosigned those goals, the party’s left flank and rural members have been critical of forced consolidation. 

Janoo said the increasing cost of public education is driven by health care costs and growing student mental health needs, cost centers Scott’s plan doesn’t fully reckon with.  

“You’re just giving up on our rural communities,” she said of closing rural schools. 

In her announcement, Janoo said she’ll also seek the Progressive Party’s endorsement. After moving back to Vermont in 2018, she founded the Wellbeing Economy Alliance of Vermont, and she’s served on the boards of organizations such as the ACLU of Vermont and Rights & Democracy. 

While Janoo hasn’t held elected office outside of serving as a justice of the peace, she said she’s spent her entire career as an economist working with government, particularly the executive branch.

Though no other Democratic candidates have announced their gubernatorial campaigns, Janoo may face challengers in the August primary. No Republicans have yet announced they’re running. 

In a statement, Lachlan Francis, Vermont Democratic Party chair, stopped short of endorsing Janoo but said she is “bringing bold ideas to this race, and we’re glad to see her in it.”

Clarification, March 10: This article and its headlines have been updated to fully reflect the fact that Gov. Scott has not announced whether he will run for reelection.