Brian
Judd
Independent Brian Judd, Barre native and Navy veteran, is challenging Vermont Gov. Phil Scott in the 2026 gubernatorial election.
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- positions
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Background
Brian Judd is an Independent candidate for Governor of Vermont in the 2026 general election, running against Republican incumbent Phil Scott and Democrat Amanda Janoo on November 3, 2026. 2
Judd was born and raised in Barre City, Vermont, where his family owned the Hooker & Whitcomb Funeral Home. He served in the U.S. Navy from October 1978 to December 1983 and received an honorable discharge. He has also been a SAG/AFTRA member for nearly 30 years, though the sources reviewed do not detail his acting work or identify a current occupation. 2
Judd has not held elected office. He ran for Barre City Council in 2021 and for the Vermont House of Representatives in 2022 — the latter as a Republican in the Washington-3 district — but was not successful in either race. 24
For the 2026 governor's race, Judd is running as an Independent. No official campaign website or verified social media accounts were identified in the sources reviewed; his listed campaign contact is [email protected]. 24
At a glance
- Party
- Independent
- Running for
- Governor, Vermont
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
Where they stand
Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.
Timeline
- Oct 7filingBrian Judd confirmed on Vermont's November 3 gubernatorial ballot
Vermont Public's voter guide listed Judd among the five candidates voters would see for governor on November 3, 2026, confirming his ballot status as an independent candidate.
How to vote in the 2026 general election in Vermont · Oct 7, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 5newsJudd says he would deploy Vermont National Guard against anti-ICE protesters if elected
In response to a Vermont Daily Chronicle report about planned anti-ICE protests, Judd stated he would declare a state of emergency, take command of the Vermont National Guard for crowd control to prevent interference with ICE officers, and have state police arrest protesters violating Vermont law. These were statements of proposed policy, not actions taken.
Out-of-state anti-ICE protesters due in Vermont this week · Oct 5, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 28pollVermont Public poll again shows Judd at 2% in governor's race
A Vermont Public survey of 817 Vermonters (margin of error 3.4 points) put Scott at 42%, Janoo at 32%, and Judd at 2%, with 20% undecided. Results differed substantially from the concurrent UNH poll.
Poll: Amanda Janoo narrows Phil Scott's lead in governor's ... · Sep 28, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 24pollUNH poll shows Judd at 2% in Vermont governor's race
A UNH Survey Center Green Mountain State Poll of likely voters found Amanda Janoo at 49%, Phil Scott at 43%, and Brian Judd at 2%, with 6% undecided. The poll was reported on September 25 by Vermont Daily Chronicle.
Poll says Scott, Rodgers both trail Dem challenges - Vermont Daily Chronicle · Sep 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 15newsBrian Judd publishes policy proposals in Vermont Daily Chronicle op-ed
In a Vermont Daily Chronicle post, Judd outlined proposals he said he would pursue on his first day as governor, including executive orders to seek repeal of Act 181, declaring a state of emergency over homelessness, restoring loitering and vagrancy laws, bringing back Vermont state psychiatric hospitals, and auditing state government and nonprofits.
Lincoln: Rural Vermont cannot afford to become an economic museum - Vermont Daily Chronicle · Sep 15, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Sources 8
- [1] [PDF] Vermont Voter Guide(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [2] Brian Judd (I) – Vermont Governor 2026 | Smarter.Vote(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [3] How to vote in the 2026 general election in Vermont(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [4] Out-of-state anti-ICE protesters due in Vermont this week(opens in a new tab) Oct 5, 2026
- [5] Poll: Amanda Janoo narrows Phil Scott's lead in governor's ...(opens in a new tab) Sep 28, 2026
- [6] Poll says Scott, Rodgers both trail Dem challenges - Vermont Daily Chronicle(opens in a new tab) Sep 25, 2026
- [7] Lincoln: Rural Vermont cannot afford to become an economic museum - Vermont Daily Chronicle(opens in a new tab) Sep 15, 2026
- [8] vermontdailychronicle.com(opens in a new tab) Aug 24, 2026