Peter Shumlin Bio
Peter Elliott Shumlin (born March 24, 1956) is an American politician from Vermont and a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the 81st governor of Vermont from 2011 to 2017, following earlier service in the Vermont House of Representatives and the Vermont Senate. Over the course of his career, Shumlin chaired the Democratic Governors Association and shaped statewide policy on healthcare, energy, and civil rights.
Before entering state-level politics, Shumlin worked in his family’s educational travel business and served on the local Selectboard in Putney. He built a reputation as a hands-on legislator who focused on rural Vermont, fiscal responsibility, and social progress. His three terms as governor made him one of the longest-serving recent chief executives in the state.
Early Life and Background
Peter Elliott Shumlin was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, on March 24, 1956. He grew up in a family with deep Vermont roots and international heritage. His father, George J. Shumlin, was a third-generation American descended from Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Russia, and his mother, Kitty A. (Prins) Shumlin, was originally from The Hague in the Netherlands.
Shumlin attended the Buxton School in Williamstown, Massachusetts, for his high school education. He then went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University, graduating in 1979. During the 1980s, he served on the Selectboard for the town of Putney and helped found Landmark College, an institution created to support students with learning disabilities in earning a college education.
Path to US Politics
Shumlin’s first entry into public office came when Governor Madeleine M. Kunin appointed him to fill a vacancy in the Vermont House of Representatives. He served part of one term plus a full term, representing the town of Putney from 1990 through 1993. In 1992, he won election to the Vermont Senate, where he quickly rose to become Minority Leader.
After the 1996 elections, Shumlin led Senate Democrats back to a majority in the chamber, and in 1997 he became Senate President Pro Tempore. In 2002, he won the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont but lost the general election to Republican Brian Dubie. He took a political hiatus from 2003 to 2006 to work at the Shumlin family business, Putney Student Travel, before returning to the State Senate in 2006 and once again being elected President Pro Tempore.
Peter Shumlin Career
Early Career (1990–2003)
Shumlin’s early political career began in the Vermont House of Representatives, where he served from 1990 to 1993 after his appointment by Governor Kunin. His move to the Vermont Senate in 1993 launched a long period of legislative leadership, including time as Minority Leader and later as President Pro Tempore, a position he first held from 1997.
During these years, Shumlin built a record on social issues, including presiding over the legalization of same-sex marriage in Vermont during his tenure as Senate President Pro Tempore. He also ran a statewide race in 2002 as the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, gaining valuable campaign experience even though he lost to Brian Dubie in a three-way contest.
2006 Senate Return and 2010 Gubernatorial Victory (2006–2011)
In 2006, Shumlin returned to his old Senate seat following the retirement of Rod Gander, and he was again chosen President Pro Tempore. On November 16, 2009, he announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Vermont, setting the stage for his rise to the executive branch.
Shumlin placed first in a competitive five-way Democratic primary on August 24, 2010, earning 18,276 votes, or 24.48 percent of the total. In the November 2, 2010 general election, he received 119,543 votes (49.44 percent) against Republican Brian Dubie’s 115,212 votes (47.69 percent). Because no candidate reached the required majority, the Vermont General Assembly confirmed his win on January 6, 2011, electing him 145 to 28.
Governorship Peak (2011–2017)
Elected governor in 2010, Shumlin took office at the start of 2011 and was re-elected in 2012, defeating Republican Randy Brock 170,749 to 110,940. His early tenure was dominated by the response to Tropical Storm Irene, which caused widespread flooding, isolated several towns, and produced road and bridge damage estimated at more than $700 million.
Shumlin signed laws on physician-assisted suicide and, on May 8, 2015, signed the United States’ first genetically modified food labeling requirement. In 2011, the Vermont Legislature created Green Mountain Care, a single-payer health care plan that made Vermont the first state to explore the concept, though Shumlin ultimately abandoned full implementation in December 2014, citing potential economic disruption.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining moments of Shumlin’s time in office included his leadership during Tropical Storm Irene, his push for single-payer health care, and his signing of the nation’s first GMO labeling law. He also issued 208 pardons during his governorship, the most of any Vermont governor, with 192 of those granted in January 2017 to people convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession.
Peter Shumlin Career Wins
Peter Shumlin’s electoral record includes three terms as Governor of Vermont, along with multiple leadership roles in the State Senate and one term in the State House. He won the 2010 gubernatorial race through a combination of popular vote plurality and a legislative confirmation, secured a commanding re-election in 2012, and earned a third term through another legislative vote in January 2015.
Governorship Highlights
Shumlin first won the governorship in 2010 with 49.44 percent of the vote and was confirmed by the General Assembly. In 2012, he was unopposed in the Democratic primary and won re-election with 57.8 percent of the vote. His 2014 re-election campaign produced a narrow plurality of 46.4 percent against Republican Scott Milne, with the General Assembly selecting him 110 to 69 in January 2015.
Other Wins and Achievements
Beyond his gubernatorial victories, Shumlin led Senate Democrats back to a majority in 1996 and served as President Pro Tempore of the Vermont Senate during two separate stretches. He also chaired the Democratic Governors Association during his first two terms as governor, extending his influence in national party affairs.
Peter Shumlin Family
Family Background and Heritage
Peter Elliott Shumlin was born into a family with mixed European roots. His father, George J. Shumlin, was a third-generation American descended from Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Russia, while his mother, Kitty A. (Prins) Shumlin, was originally from The Hague in the Netherlands. The family had longstanding ties to Putney, Vermont, where they ran Putney Student Travel, an educational firm that helped middle and high school students study abroad.
Personal Life
Shumlin was married to Elizabeth Preston Parsons from 1981, and later to Deborah Holway from 1989 to 2013; he and Holway had two daughters together. In September 2015, he announced his engagement to Kate Hunt, and the couple married in December 2015 at their East Montpelier home. Shumlin has resided in East Montpelier, Vermont.