Scott Milne

{{short description|American businessman and political candidate}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Scott Milne

|image = Scott Milne -- Vermont politician and businessman -- 2017-05-15-3.jpg

|birth_name = Scott Edward Milne

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|3|10}}

|birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Republican

|education = University of Redlands (BA)

|relatives = Donald Milne (father)
Marion Milne (mother)

}}

Scott Edward Milne (born March 10, 1959) is an American businessman and political candidate from North Pomfret, Vermont.{{Cite web|title=Scott Milne|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Scott_Milne|access-date=2020-09-15|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}} A Republican, Milne was the party's nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont in 2020, losing to Democrat Molly Gray;{{Cite web|url=http://www.wptz.com/news/milne-enters-us-senate-race-make-leahy-incumbency-an-issue/39745906|title=Milne enters U.S. Senate race, makes Leahy incumbency an issue|last=Ledbetter|first=Stewart|website=WPTZ|date=May 27, 2016|access-date=2016-05-31}} the nominee for United States Senate in 2016, losing to incumbent Democrat Patrick Leahy; and the nominee for Governor of Vermont in 2014, losing to two-term incumbent Peter Shumlin in the closest gubernatorial election in Vermont since 1962.

Early life and education

Milne was the second of four children born to Donald and Marion Milne in the New York borough of Brooklyn. The family lived in the town of Barre, Vermont, until 1964 then moved to the Orange County town of Washington. Their new home, Twin Brook Farm, had been a working sheep farm for much of the 1800s.{{cite web|title=Biography|url=http://www.scottmilne.org/meet-scott-milne-milne-for-vermont/|website=Milne for Vermont|access-date=November 12, 2014}}

His parents started Milne Travel American Express in 1975. 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.

Milne graduated from Barre's Spaulding High School in 1977 and attended the University of Vermont for a year.{{cite news |last=Krantz |first=Laura |date=October 27, 2014 |title=In Profile: Scott Milne, a survivor who wants to win |url=https://vtdigger.org/2014/10/27/profile-scott-milne/ |work=VT Digger |location=Montpelier, VT}} He then transferred to the University of Redlands, where he graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.{{cite news|last1=Hallenbeck|first1=Terri|title=Scott Milne: A complicated candidate |url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/vermont/2014/06/28/scott-milne/11559217/ |access-date=November 12, 2014 |publisher=Burlington Free Press |date=October 28, 2014}}

In college, Milne was arrested and convicted three times: twice for driving under the influence of alcohol, and once for possession of marijuana and cocaine.{{cite news |last1=Goswami |first1=Neal P. |title=Candidate for governor candid about cocaine, DUI arrests |url=https://www.timesargus.com/news/candidate-for-governor-candid-about-cocaine-dui-arrests/article_ba7494ef-2685-5a50-8291-72f90bcf7c2c.html |access-date=26 October 2020 |publisher=Brunswick Publishing, LLC |date=3 July 2014}}

Business and civic life

Milne has worked at Milne Travel since the mid-1980s. It was started by his parents in 1975, and Milne later took over operation of the company.

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

Through Milne Travel, Milne supports more than one hundred civic and non-profit organizations.

In January 2024, Milne and fellow Vermont Republican Myers Mermel purchased the Radio Vermont group, including WDEV, WCVT and WLVB, from the estate of Ken Squier following Squier's death two months prior. The purchase ends 88 years of the Squier family ownership of WDEV.{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=2024-01-11 |title=Mermel & McLain Management Acquire Radio Vermont Group |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/263333/mermel-mclain-management-acquire-radio-vermont-group/ |access-date=2024-01-13 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}

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 served as state employment commissioner. A Milne cousin, James F. Milne, served as Vermont's secretary of state from 1995 to 1999.

Milne's father Donald served one year in the Vermont House. He also worked as an assistant clerk in Vermont's House and Senate, and as House clerk after 1993. He also made unsuccessful bids for the Legislature and for state's attorney, and was a longtime selectman for the town of Washington.

Milne's mother Marion served three two-year terms in the state House. In 2000, she cast a vote in favor of civil unions, and her subsequent unpopularity among conservative Republicans led to her loss when she ran for re-nomination later that year. Running as an Independent in the general election, she fell short of retaining her seat.

Political life

Milne worked on the 1980 U.S. Senate primary campaign of Stewart Ledbetter, who won the Republican nomination but was defeated in the general election by the incumbent Democrat, Patrick Leahy. In 2000, Milne campaigned door-to-door for his mother as she attempted to retain her legislative seat.

In 2006, Milne won the Republican nomination for a Windsor County seat in the Vermont House of Representatives, and lost to the Democratic nominee, Mark B. Mitchell.{{cite web |title=2006 General Election Results |url=https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/data/serve_file_pages_for_item/76521/Election/ |website=Vermont Secretary of State Elections Division |publisher=State of Vermont |access-date=26 October 2020}}

In 2014, Milne was the Republican nominee for governor. He narrowly lost to the Democratic nominee, incumbent Peter Shumlin.{{cite web |title=2014 Governor General Election |url=https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/elections/view/68126/ |website=Vermont Secretary of State Elections Division |publisher=State of Vermont |access-date=26 October 2020}}

In 2016, Milne was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senator, and lost to incumbent Patrick Leahy.{{cite web |title=2016 U.S. Senate General Election |url=https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/elections/view/82049/ |website=Vermont Secretary of State Elections Division |publisher=State of Vermont |access-date=26 October 2020}}

Milne won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 2020. He faced Democrat Molly Gray in the general election.{{cite web |title=Official Report of the Canvassing Committee: United States and Vermont Statewide Offices |url=https://sos.vermont.gov/media/23dat5ka/2020-aug-primary-results-final.pdf |website=Vermont Secretary of State |publisher=State of Vermont |access-date=26 October 2020}} Milne hired Republican political operative Jim Barnett for his campaign.{{cite web |last1=Norton |first1=Kit |title=Jim Barnett returns to Vermont politics, putting his 'nasty' touch on Milne's campaign |url=https://vtdigger.org/2020/10/21/jim-barnett-scott-milne-campaign/ |website=VT Digger |date=October 21, 2020 |access-date=26 October 2020}} In the general election held on November 3, Gray defeated Milne.{{cite news |date=November 5, 2020 |title=Newcomer Molly Gray defeats Scott Milne in Lt. governor's race |url=https://www.vtcng.com/state_and_world/state_news/newcomer-molly-gray-defeats-scott-milne-in-lt-governor-s-race/article_d8b025ae-1f8c-11eb-92bd-ef3868ae85b5.html |work=Vermont Community Newspaper Group |location=Stowe, VT}}

Political positions

= ProgressVT Plan =

In September 2020, Milne released his ProgressVT plan, a ten-pillar approach containing proposed policy reforms he would work towards as lieutenant governor.{{Cite web|last=Milne|first=Scott|date=|title=ProgressVT|url=https://www.scottmilne.org/uploads/progressvt.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}} These include protecting the economically disadvantaged, revitalizing rural Vermont, opening up the lieutenant governor's office, growing the workforce, reforming health care, expanding educational opportunities, streamlining state government, securing our environment, valuing entrepreneurs, and tackling affordability. These include repealing Vermont's tax on Social Security income, eliminating the state taxation of military retirement income, simplifying occupational licensing requirements, bolstering state ethics laws, adjusting child care ratio flexibility, expanding tax credits for entrepreneurs, creating a sales tax holiday for electric vehicles and energy efficient equipment, and streamlining permitting laws, among other reforms.

= Legalization of Marijuana =

Milne was opposed to the legalization of recreational marijuana. In September 2016, Milne stated that he was opposed to further decriminalization of drugs, and thought that Vermont should pass stricter drug laws.{{cite web |title=Scott Milne in State of Vermont Archives |url=https://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/Archive_VT_Scott_Milne.htm |website=On The Issues}}

= Firearms =

Milne is a proponent of expanding background checks for purchasing firearms, and supports banning certain types of firearm.

= Abortion =

Milne describes himself as "pro-life", but his campaign has stated that he maintains pro-choice positions while also opposing healthcare providers being forced to offer free birth control coverage.{{cite news |last1=Meyn |first1=Colin |title=Planned Parenthood stays out of Vermont's race for governor — again |url=https://vtdigger.org/2020/09/20/planned-parenthood-stays-out-of-the-vermont-race-for-governors-again/ |access-date=26 October 2020 |date=20 September 2020}}{{cite web |title=Scott Milne on Abortion |url=https://www.ontheissues.org/social/Scott_Milne_Abortion.htm |website=On The Issues |access-date=26 October 2020}}

2014 Vermont gubernatorial election

Milne was the Republican nominee for Governor of Vermont in 2014. He finished in second place in the popular vote with 87,075 votes (45.1 percent). Two-time incumbent Democratic governor, Peter Shumlin, came in first with 89,509 popular votes (46.4 percent). Libertarian candidate Dan Feliciano earned 8,428 (4.4 percent). Because no candidate received 50 percent of the popular vote, the decision was made in Shumlin's favor by the Vermont House of Representatives and Senate. Milne was slow to concede defeat, noting that 54 percent of Vermonters voted against the incumbent.{{cite news|title=MILNE CALLS SHUMLIN'S CLAIM OF VICTORY PREMATURE|url=http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20141106/THISJUSTIN/141109966|access-date=November 7, 2014|publisher=Rutland Herald|date=November 6, 2014}} He later declined a recount request, citing the expected cost to the state.{{cite news|last1=Burbank|first1=April|title=Shumlin leads in final tally, Milne declines recount|url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2014/11/12/tally-confirms-shumlin-vote-lead/18909875/|access-date=13 November 2014|publisher=Burlington Free Press|date=November 12, 2014}}

According to uncertified results, Milne came within 2,434 votes of beating the two-term incumbent Democratic governor. A challenger had not defeated an incumbent governor in Vermont since 1962 when Phil Hoff, riding the popular wave of President John F. Kennedy, became the first Democratic governor in the state since 1854.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

Milne declined to call for a recount of the vote—a right he earned by state law by coming within 2%—saying: "It is extremely unlikely, almost unfathomable, that a recount would put either candidate above the 50 percent mark." With no candidate gaining 50% of the popular vote, the election was decided by the 180 members of the Vermont House and Senate in January 2015.{{cite news|last1=Heintz|first1=Paul|title=Close Call: Seven Reasons Shumlin Nearly Lost|url=http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/close-call-seven-reasons-shumlin-nearly-lost/Content?oid=2472138|access-date=November 13, 2014|publisher=Seven Days|date=November 12, 2014}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=Vermont gubernatorial election, 2014{{cite web |url=http://az357346.vo.msecnd.net/resultsSW.aspx?type=SW&map=MPRC |title=Unofficial Results - General Election - November 4, 2014 |publisher=Vermont Secretary of State |date=November 8, 2014 |access-date=November 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903042919/http://az357346.vo.msecnd.net/resultsSW.aspx?type=SW&map=MPRC |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |df=mdy-all }}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Peter Shumlin

|votes = 89,509

|percentage = 46.36%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Scott Milne

|votes = 87,075

|percentage = 45.1%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Libertarian Party (United States)

|candidate = Dan Feliciano

|votes = 8,428

|percentage = 4.36%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Emily Peyton

|votes = 3,157

|percentage = 1.64%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Liberty Union Party

|candidate = Peter Diamondstone

|votes = 1,673

|percentage = 0.87%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Bernard Peters

|votes = 1,434

|percentage = 0.74%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Cris Ericson

|votes = 1,089

|percentage = 0.56%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Write-ins

|votes = 722

|percentage = 0.37%

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 193,087

|percentage = 100.00%

}}

While Shumlin had earned a greater share of the popular vote, Milne had won more districts.{{cite news |last1=Krantz |first1=Laura |title=Milne Exploring All Options |url=http://vtdigger.org/2014/11/06/milne-exploring-options/|access-date=November 13, 2014 |publisher=VTDigger |date=November 6, 2014}}

=Determining winner=

With no candidate receiving a majority, as required by the Vermont Constitution, the Vermont General Assembly decided the election by secret ballot January 8, 2015.{{cite news|url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2015/01/08/vermont-legislature-vote/21394309 |title= Shumlin defeats Milne in Legislature governor vote |date= January 8, 2015 |access-date=January 8, 2015 |publisher=Burlington Free Press}} Milne had said that if Shumlin won a plurality, he would support him, expecting that Shumlin would do the same if the situation were reversed.{{cite news|url=http://www.timesargus.com/article/20141110/NEWS03/711109999 |title=Plurality or politics? |date=November 10, 2014 |access-date=November 11, 2014 |publisher=Barre Montpelier Times Argus}}

By tradition, the General Assembly almost always selects the candidate who won a plurality in the general election.{{cite news|title=Close election recalls recent recounts|url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2014/11/06/election-recalls-recent-recounts/18622085/|access-date=November 10, 2014|publisher=The Burlington Free Press|date=November 7, 2014}} The most recent selection of a candidate who had not won a plurality was in 1976, when Republican T. Garry Buckley defeated Democrat John Alden for lieutenant governor. In the 2015 vote, Shumlin defeated Milne 110 votes to 69.{{cite news |last=Free Press Staff |orig-date=January 7, 2015 |date=January 9, 2015 |title=Shumlin defeats Milne in Legislature governor vote |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2015/01/08/vermont-legislature-vote/21394309/ |work=The Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT}}

{{Election box begin | title = 2014 Gubernatorial Election Results, Legislative Joint Assembly}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

| party = Democratic Party (US)

| candidate = Peter Shumlin

| votes = 110

| percentage = 61.5%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

| party = Republican Party (US)

| candidate = Scott Milne

| votes = 69

| percentage = 38.5%

}}

{{Election box total no change|

| votes = 179

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

2016 U.S. Senate election

Milne ran in the 2016 U.S. Senate election in Vermont. He was the only declared Republican candidate.{{cite web|url=http://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2015/10/05/scott-milne-considers-challenging-patrick-leahy|title=Scott Milne Considers Challenging Patrick Leahy|work=Seven Days|last=Heintz|first=Paul|date=October 5, 2015|access-date=October 7, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2016/05/26/milne-hopes-unseat-sen-leahy/84999986/|title=Milne hopes to unseat Sen. Leahy|work=The Burlington Free Press|last=Gram|first=Dave|date=May 26, 2016|access-date=May 27, 2016}} Milne faced seven-term Democratic senator Patrick Leahy as well as three minor party candidates. He lost the election, receiving 32% of the vote.

{{Election box begin

| title= United States Senate election in Vermont, 2016{{cite news| url=https://elections16.burlingtonfreepress.com/results/vermont/senate | work=Burlington Free Press | title=Vermont Election Results}}{{cite web |url=https://vtelectionresults.sec.state.vt.us/Index.html#/federal |title=Official Results - General Election - November 8, 2016 |publisher=Vermont Secretary of State |date=November 8, 2016 |access-date=December 28, 2016 |archive-date=August 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811143454/https://vtelectionresults.sec.state.vt.us/Index.html#/federal |url-status=dead }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Patrick Leahy (incumbent)

|votes = 192,243

|percentage = 59.99%

|change = -3.05%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Scott Milne

|votes = 103,637

|percentage = 32.34%

|change = +2.08%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = United States Marijuana Party

|candidate = Cris Ericson

|votes = 9,156

|percentage = 2.86%

|change = +1.76%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Jerry Trudell

|votes = 5,223

|percentage = 1.63%

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Liberty Union Party

|candidate = Peter Diamondstone

|votes = 3,241

|percentage = 1.01%

|change = 0.40%

}}

{{Election box candidate

|party = Write-ins

|candidate =

|votes = 309

|percentage = 0.10%

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate

|party = Spoiled votes

|candidate =

|votes = 466

|percentage = 0.15%

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate

|party = Blank votes

|candidate =

|votes = 6,192

|percentage = 1.93%

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 88,606

|percentage = 27.65%

|change =

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 320,467

|percentage = 100.00%

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Democratic Party (US)

|loser =

|swing =

}}

2020 Vermont lieutenant governor election

In 2020, Milne defeated several minor candidates to win the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.{{cite news |last1=Beard |first1=Riley |last2=Bakuli |first2=Ethan |date=August 11, 2020 |title=Vermont primary election results: Scott wins GOP nomination, Zuckerman gets Democratic nom |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/08/11/results-vermont-primary-election-governor-lt-governor-senate-phil-scott-david-zuckerman/3349339001/ |work= |location= |access-date=}} The Democratic nomination was won by Molly Gray.{{cite news |last=Wertlieb |first=Mitch |date=July 16, 2020 |title=Democratic Lieutenant Governor Primary Race 2020: Molly Gray |url=https://www.vpr.org/vpr-news/2020-07-16/democratic-lieutenant-governor-primary-race-2020-molly-gray |work=VPR.org |publisher=Vermont Public radio |location=Colchester, VT}} In the general election, Gray defeated Milne and Progressive nominee Cris Ericson.{{cite news |date=November 17, 2020 |orig-date=November 3, 2020 |title=2020 Vermont Lieutenant Governor Election Results |url=https://www.aberdeennews.com/elections/results/race/2020-11-03-other-VT-46376/ |work=Aberdeen News |location=Aberdeen, SD}}

=Republican primary=

{{Election box begin no change| title=Republican primary results}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Scott Milne

| votes = 26817

| percentage = 51.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Meg Hansen

| votes = 16875

| percentage = 32.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Dwayne Tucker

| votes = 3066

| percentage = 5.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Dana Colson

| votes = 2736

| percentage = 5.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Jim Hogue

| votes = 1944

| percentage = 3.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Write-ins

| votes = 680

| percentage = 1.3

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 52118

| percentage = 100.0

}}

=General election=

{{Election box begin no change| title=2020 Vermont lieutenant gubernatorial election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Molly Gray

| votes = 182820

| percentage = 51.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Scott Milne

| votes = 157065

| percentage = 44.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Vermont Progressive Party

| candidate = Cris Ericson

| votes = 7862

| percentage = 2.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Independent (United States)

| candidate = Wayne Billado III

| votes = 5101

| percentage = 1.4

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Stop the F35s

| candidate = Ralph Corbo

| votes = 2289

| percentage = 0.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Write-ins

| votes = 1097

| percentage = 0.3

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 356234

| percentage = 100.0

}}

Personal life

Milne resides in the unincorporated community of North Pomfret, Vermont, located within the town of Pomfret, and is a divorced father of two grown children.

In 2006, Milne suffered an ischemic stroke, but reportedly recovered with "very little residual effect."{{cite news |last1=Hirschfeld |first1=Peter |title=Scott Milne Says DUI, Cocaine Arrests Made For 'Powerful Life Lessons' |url=https://www.vpr.org/post/scott-milne-says-dui-cocaine-arrests-made-powerful-life-lessons#stream/0 |access-date=26 October 2020 |agency=VPR |publisher=Vermont Public Radio |date=3 July 2014}}