Thomas "Tom" Blakely
Thomas "Tom" Blakely is a Democratic candidate for the Vermont House of Representatives in the Bennington-5 district in the November 3, 2026 general election, residing in Bennington, Vermont, where Thomas's background includes work in Retired from a career in IT. I serve on the Town of Bennington Historic Preservation Commission.
Campaign site
What is one part of Vermont’s economy or cost of living that needs greater attention from elected officials?: “A primary driver of the high cost of living in Vermont is health care and health insurance. We need, at the very least, universal primary care, additional investment in training healthcare professionals, and investment in community health centers to provide a lower-cost alternative to expensive hospital-based primary care.”
“As our population continues to decline, some degree of consoiidation will be required. But I don't think that relying on "economies of scale" expected from consolidation will alone solve out education funding.”
“That can take the form of centralizing purchasing and other areas where economies of scale can have an impact. Centralizing control of budgets risks ignoring real local needs and priorities, and I believe that local districts understand their needs and resources better than a central state authority.”
Michael Nigro
Michael Nigro (Democratic) of Bennington is an incumbent Vermont Representative representing the Bennington-5 district in the 2025-2026 General Assembly. MICHAEL NIGRO was born and raised in upstate New York.
Campaign site
“I am a small business owner and responsible landlord with 18 years' experience in the field of healthcare. Having obtained an MBA and started a business while working full-time, I understand the meaning of hard work. I want to work for a better Bennington and Vermont.”
(Campaign Website) “I wish to seek creative ways to strengthen our small business environment, with resources for those seeking to start a business and a commitment to building the right infrastructure to support businesses. I support strengthening our educational system in Vermont from early childhood through college, with better pathways to high-paying trades.”
(Campaign Website) “Bennington needs to be a great place to work or own a business, a great place to raise a family and educate our children. If elected, I will not be outworked in representing my district.”
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