The Best Take on Vermont's 14-Year-Old Gubernatorial Candidate Came from West Virginia
The following article was originally published by the Exponent Telegram in West Virginia, written by columnist James Logue. It is reprinted here with the permission of the publisher.
Dean Roy is a 14-year-old freshman at Stowe High School who is running for governor of Vermont — something the state’s constitution permits, since it sets no minimum age for candidates. Roy didn’t join either major party. He founded his own, the Freedom and Unity Party; a refreshing departure from the two-party system.
The best take we’ve seen on his candidacy didn’t come from a Vermont newsroom. It came from a columnist in Clarksburg, West Virginia, who had never followed Vermont politics before Roy caught his attention.
We’ll let the author take it from here.
If I Lived in Vermont, He’d Have My Vote
By James Logue | Exponent Telegram
I don’t often follow politics in Vermont — in fact I never do — but I was intrigued to learn that one of the candidates for governor this year is 14 years old. He’s not even old enough to vote.
Dean Roy, a freshman at Stowe High School, is running this fall in the state’s race for governor. This makes him the youngest candidate ever on a Vermont ballot.
When I was a high school freshman, the most ambitious thing I did was to learn the combination to my locker.
Roy founded his own party, the Freedom and Unity Party, because he wants to effect change.
“I know it sounds crazy, a 14-year-old running for governor, but honestly, look at the people in charge right now,” Roy said in a post on his campaign’s Instagram page. “They’ve been doing this forever and things still aren’t working.”
You might be wondering how someone that young can run for governor. Well, it’s simple. Vermont’s constitution has no minimum age for candidates. They only have to live there for four years. He’s been there 14 years.
Roy’s former history teacher, James Carpenter, said the boy is serious about running, campaigning on better housing and health care.
“It just really shows what type of kid Dean is. He’s very earnest in what he’s doing. There’s no gimmick behind this,” he said. “I think he blends that youthful optimism with some pragmatism that few kids have.”
If Roy is elected, and let’s be honest, his chances are probably slim to none, he has given a lot of thought to how he would juggle his job at the statehouse and his school work. For instance, he’d have to have a state trooper drive him to soccer practice.
The current governor of Vermont, Phil Scott, praises Roy’s enthusiasm, but questions whether he’s really old enough or mature enough to hold such a high office.
Roy disagrees.
“What I’m aiming for is that these career politicians look at me and they say, ‘Oh my God, he actually has a chance to disrupt things,’” he said. “If I can get people to think that I am a threat to them, then I know that’s been a success. Because what I want is to show them that the youth have a voice. We’re gonna make change. The future is now.”
Just a few states over, Maine Gov. Janet Mills is 78 years old and she is running for the U.S. Senate this year. Some would say she’s too old. Sure, old people have a voice, too, but it’s nice to see a young person throw his hat into the ring, too.
“I don’t expect necessarily to win,” Roy told The AP. “What I do expect is to start the movement, and get more young people to come in behind me and say, ‘Yeah, we also want to make change.’”
I really like this kid. I wonder if we can get him to West Virginia through the transfer portal.
James Logue can be reached at jlogue@wvnews.com