(Host) Governor-elect Peter Shumlin spent the eve of his inauguration on his home turf in Windham County. Shumlin is a native of Putney.
Friends and supporters packed the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center to celebrate the first southern Vermont governor in at least 30 years.
Toby Young is a Democrat from Westminster West. She and Putney artist David Rohn are happy that a ‘hometown boy,’ as Young called Shumlin, will soon be governor.
(Young) "Having somebody who’s aware of what’s happening in the southern part of the state is really important."
(Rohn) "We’re all fond of Peter. We’ve known Peter for a long time, and his family, and we love his causes. He’s tough. He’s smart and he won’t give up."
(Host) Shumlin and his newly minted staff drove the two-plus hours from Montpelier for the evening event.
(Shumlin) "It’s really exciting, you know, this is where I’m from, this is where I was born and raised. To come into a room full of all the people that helped raise me and who gave me a break all those years and who gave me so much support and love, it’s really moving."
(Host) Shumlin will have to keep moving. He’ll be sworn in today at 1:30, in Montpelier. You can listen to the inauguration live on VPR.