Scott Milne

Scott Milne
Personal details
Born	Scott Edward Milne (1959-03-10) March 10, 1959 New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	University of Vermont University of Redlands

Scott Milne (born March 10, 1959)^[1] is a businessman from North Pomfret, Vermont, and the Republican candidate for governor of the State of Vermont.

Early life and education

Scott Edward Milne was the second of four children born to Donald and Marion Milne in Brooklyn.^[1] The family lived in Barre, Vermont until 1964 then moved to Orange County town of the Washington. Their new home, Twin Brook Farm, had been a working sheep farm for much of the 1800s.^[2]

His parents started Milne Travel American Express in 1975.^[1] Milne himself was entrepreneurial as a child, "from selling newspapers and rabbits as a kid, to painting houses, to promoting concerts . ." Additionally he has worked as a farm laborer, construction worker, grocery store clerk, bartender and waiter, political campaign aide, and investigator for a public defender as an unpaid intern.^[2]

Business and civic life

Milne, who has spent almost three decades working at Milne Travel—started by his parents in 1975—now runs the company.^[1]

Milne currently serves as President of the Vermont Society of Travel Agentsand on an advisory board member for the Australian company Travcorp. He is a former advisory board member of American Express and Avis. He is involved with the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and is a former president of the Vermont Association of Private and Non-Profit Organizations.

Through Milne Travel, Milne supports over 100 civic and non-profit organizations.^[2]

Political family

Milne's paternal grandfather, Henry Milne, served in Vermont's state House representing Barre. He also worked for U.S. senator George Aiken and as state employment commissioner. His father's cousin Jim Milne served as secretary of state from 1995-1999.^[1]

His father, Don Milne, served one year in the Vermont Statehouse. He also worked as an assistant clerk in Vermont's House and Senate, and as House clerk since 1993. He made unsuccessful bids for the Legislature and for state's attorney. He now serves on the Selectboard for the town of Washington.^[1]

Milne's mother, Marion Milne, served three two-year terms in the state House. In 2000, she cast a vote in favor of civil unions and lost in the primary. Running as an independent in the general election, she fell short of winning her seat back by 1,000 votes.^[1]

Political life

When Milne was nine years old he went to the Champlain Valley Fair. While there, the 1969 Republican candidate for Vermont governor, Deane Davis, offered him three dollars to put up campaign bumper stickers around the fairgrounds. As a young boy in the 1970s, Milne would hitchhike from Washington, Vermont—where his family lived—to Montpelier, the capital. Once there he would often ride the elevator of the Pavilion Building to catch a glimpse of then Democratic governor, Tom Salmon.

Milne worked on the 1980 U.S. Senate primary campaign of Republican Stewart Ledbetter. Decades later, he campaigned door-to-door for his mother, Marion, as she fought to retain her legislative seat.^[1]

In 2006, Milne lost a bid for a Windsor County, Vermont House seat by 100 votes.^[1] He is the 2014 Republican gubernatorial candidate in Vermont, coming in second with the popular vote of 87,075 (45.1%). Two-time incumbent Democratic governor, Peter Shumlin, came in first with 89,509 popular votes (46.4%). Libertarian candidate Dan Feliciano earned 8,428 (4.4%). Because no candidate received 50% of the popular vote, the decision will be made by the Vermont General Assembly in January 2015. Milne has yet to concede the election, stating 54% of Vermonters want a change in governor.^[3] He has declined a recount request.^[4]

"I have remained adamant throughout my campaign that I got into this race to best serve the interests of Vermont. I do not believe that a recount is the best way to spend taxpayer dollars, especially as the State's financial position continues to deteriorate under team Shumlin's leadership."^[4]

—Scott Milne

2014 Vermont gubernatorial election

According to uncertified results, Milne came within 2,434 votes of beating the two-term Democrat incumbent governor. A challenger had not removed an incumbent governor in Vermont since Philip H. Hoff in 1962 when, riding the popular wave of President John F. Kennedy), he became the first Democratic governor in the state since 1854.

Shumlin won 89,509 popular votes (46.4%), while Milne earned 87,075 (45.1%). The Libertarian candidate won 8,428 votes (4.4%). Milne has declined to call for a recount of the vote—a right he earned by state law by coming with 2%—saying: "It is extremely unlikely, almost unfathomable, that a recount would put either candidate above the 50 percent mark."^[4] With no candidate gaining 50% of the popular vote, the election will be decided by 180 members of the Vermont House and Senate in January 2015.^[5]

Vermont gubernatorial election, 2014[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Peter Shumlin	89,509	46.36
	Republican	Scott Milne	87,075	45.1
	Libertarian	Dan Feliciano	8,428	4.36
	Independent	Emily Peyton	3,157	1.64
	Liberty Union	Peter Diamondstone	1,673	0.87
	Independent	Bernard Peters	1,434	0.74
	Independent	Cris Ericson	1,089	0.56
	Independent	Write-ins	722	0.37
Total votes			193,087	100

Of Vermont's 275 "polling places" that report results separately—corresponding to the state's 255 towns and cities, with some larger municipalities broken into multiple precincts (Burlington has seven)—Milne won a plurality in 162 precincts, or 58.9%. His Democrat opponent won 112, or 40.7% (they tied in Woodbury). Shumlin won the state's biggest voting area, Burlington (representing 9,604 gubernatorial voters), by a margin of 66% to 23%. He also won South Burlington. In three of the state's other five "top-voting municipalities"—Essex, Colchester, and Rutland City—Milne had more votes.^[5]

Milne won 10 of the 20 "top-turnout towns and cities"—e.g., Williston, Barre Town, Milton, and Barre City. Shumlin won in Bennington, Montpelier, Hartford, and Middlebury. Of Vermont's 13 Senate districts, aligning roughly with the state's 14 counties, Milne won eight (61.5%) and Shumlin five (38.5%).^[5]

Milne, and Vermont Republicans, believe state legislators should decide the election in line with how their individual districts voted.^[7]

Determining winner

With no candidate receiving a majority of the vote, the Vermont General Assembly decided the election by secret ballot January 8, 2015.^[8] Milne lost to Shumlin. Milne had said that if Shumlin won a plurality, he would support him, expecting Shumlin to do the same if the situation were reversed.^[9] After the election, he said: "it's clear that 54% of Vermonters want a new governor, and a new path forward."^[3]

The Assembly most recently reversed a plurality vote in the 1976 lieutenant gubernatorial election, when Democrat John Alden was "bypassed" in favor of Republican T. Garry Buckley.^[10]

2014 Gubernatorial Election Results, Legislative Joint Assembly
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Peter Shumlin	110	61.5%
	Republican	Scott Milne	69	38.5
Total votes			179	100

Personal life

Milne currently resides in North Pomfret, Vermont and is a divorced father of two grown children.^[1]

External links

• Milne-Governor official campaign website.

References

Party political offices
Preceded by Randy Brock	Republican nominee for Governor of Vermont 2014	Most recent