Jared Duval

Jared Duval graduated from Lebanon High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College in 2005 and a graduate degree from Princeton University in 2014. Duval's career experience includes working as executive director of the Energy Action Network. From 2014 to 2017, he served as the economic development director at the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development. He served as an intern for then-Congressman Bernie Sanders in 2002 and as the youngest member of the policy team for Governor Howard Dean’s presidential campaign in 2003. Duval has served as a member of the Vermont Climate Council and as a co-author of Vermont’s Climate Action Plan.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have lived in Montpelier for the last 12 years with my wife, Rev. Joan Javier-Duval, and our 12-year-old son. I grew up in the Upper Connecticut River Valley, part of the 9th generation of my family to live in Vermont. For most of my childhood, my Mom, Alice, was a waitress and my Dad, Bill, was a chef. When I was ten years old, my Dad experienced multiple heart attacks, leading to quadruple bypass surgery. His recovery was long and never full. In the wake of his heart attacks, he lost his job, his apartment, and his vehicle. It was that experience that taught me the importance of a social safety net, making me realize how much public policy matters to family economic security and human dignity.

My career has been dedicated to working for a more equitable economy and a more sustainable future. I served as Economic Development Director for Vermont at the Agency of Commerce and Community Development from 2014 - 2017. Since 2017 I have served as Executive Director of Energy Action Network (EAN), a non-profit based in Montpelier that produces trusted, independent, and non-partisan energy research and analysis for Vermont. Because of this work I was appointed to the Vermont Climate Council, where I serve as Chair of the Science & Data committee.

For the last decade I have also served on the Board of the Public Assets Institute, where I currently serve as Chair. Locally, I am a founding Board member and volunteer with the Montpelier Emergency Cold Weather Shelter.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The biggest reason I am running is to work for a fairer and more progressive tax system where those with the highest-incomes and the wealthiest pay more of a fair share. To make life more affordable for all -- especially lower- and middle-income Vermonters -- requires public investment in affordable housing, accessible and affordable health care, and public education. But right now, the highest-income Vermonters pay a lower share of their income in overall taxes than many middle-income Vermonters (see: https://publicassets.org/charts-infographics/vermont-state-and-local-taxes-as-a-share-of-family-income-by-tax-by-quintile-2024). I believe that's wrong and that we should work to re-coup the Trump tax cuts for the highest incomes.We need to build more housing - especially permanently affordable housing, because that's where most of the unmet need is. I strongly support the work of organizations like the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) and Downstreet. We also need to bring unoccupied housing units back online. That is why I also strongly support the continuation and expansion of the Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP), one of the most cost-effective tools to make more housing available quickly. Above all, I think we need to treat housing as a vital human need for all rather than as a speculative asset for the enrichment of the few. We should work to support home ownership for Vermonters and guard against the encroachment of private equity.I am dedicated to defending democracy and the human rights and civil liberties of all people living in Vermont. I supported S.208, a bill from last legislative session to require identification and prohibit masking of local, state, and federal law enforcement. This is especially important given the unconscionable actions of ICE agents here in Vermont and around the country. While the bill didn't pass last year, if elected I am dedicated to joining with other legislators to try to pass it next session. As Trump and his appointees work to undermine the rule of law and threaten the legal, human, and civil rights of political opponents and the vulnerable, I will always stand on the side of protecting democracy and human and civil rights.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am most dedicated to the economic security of Vermonters. I am passionate about: working for fairer and more progressive tax policy where those with the highest incomes and most wealth pay more of a fair share toward public goods and services; expanding housing, including more permanently affordable housing, home ownership opportunities, and limiting the role of private equity (housing as a human right rather than as a speculative asset); working toward more accessible and affordable health care, including via universal primary care; energy policy centered around efficiency, renewables, and electrification to both cut costs and cut pollution; defending democracy, human rights, and civil liberties; strong and equitable public education.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Current and former elected leaders from outside Vermont: Sen. Elizabeth Warren; Sen. Paul Wellstone; Sen. Russ Feingold; Rep. Jamie Raskin; Rep. Morris Udall, and more.

Current statewide elected leaders from Vermont: Sen. Bernie Sanders; Rep. Becca Balint; Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, and more.

The number of Vermont State Senators and Representatives is too numerous to list but includes: Sen. Andrew Perchlik; Sen. Anne Watson; Sen. Anthony Pollina; Rep. Kate McCann; Rep. Teddy Waszazak, and more.

The leaders I most admire have the following traits that I seek to follow: they are dedicated to the working class and building a more fair, equitable, and sustainable economy; they are careful, independent thinkers willing to challenge the status quo and who think long-term, not just short-term; they are civil and respectful but are always willing to speak truth to power; they understand a responsibility to work to solve problems, even if imperfectly and haltingly, not just to complain about them; they refuse to go along just to get along and know that the purpose of public service isn't ease and expedience but leading through adversity to make change and progress that improves the lives of this and future generations.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty. Open-mindedness. Critical thinking. Curiosity. Humility. Dedication. Hard work. Courage. A focus on what is good for the long-term, not just the short-term. A commitment to serving those most in need, not those with the most wealth and power.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To craft state policy that helps improve the lives of Vermonters. To be accessible and responsive to constituents. To listen and learn and to work for the common good. To do what is right, not what is easy or convenient.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I strive to be someone who continually works for what I believe is right and just, no matter how difficult and no matter the odds.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Respectful collaboration rooted in an appreciation of shared responsibility.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Affordability, a fairer and more progressive tax system, housing, health care, education, and energy.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I believe that politics is (or should be) about improving peoples' lives. Compromise can sometimes be necessary to make progress. However, compromise should not be sought for its own sake and should only be considered if it will lead to better outcomes than would otherwise occur (and so long as the compromise doesn't prevent even greater progress from occurring).

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Organizational endorsements: Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA); Vermont State Labor Council A.F.L. C.I.O.; VPIRG Votes; Sierra Club; Vermont Conservation Voters; Planned Parenthood Vermont Action Fund IE PAC; Center for Freethought Equality PAC.

Organizational recommendations: Vermont NEA; American Federation of Teachers-VT

Elected official endorsements:

Rep. Tiff Bluemle (Burlington); Rep. Mollie Burke (Brattleboro); Rep. Scott Campbell (St. Johnsbury); Rep. Ela Chapin (East Montpelier); Rep. Esme Cole (White River Jct.); Rep. Kathleen James (Manchester); Rep. Marc Mihaly (East Calais); Rep. Kate McCann (Montpelier); Sen. Andrew Perchlik (Marshfield); Rep. Laura Sibilia (Dover); Rep. Chloe Tomlinson (Winooski); more...

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a progressive Democrat who comes from and is committed to the working class of Vermont. For over two decades, I have dedicated my life to making real climate and clean energy progress and to building a more equitable and sustainable economy. I currently serve as Executive Director of the Energy Action Network and as a member of the Vermont Climate Council. Formerly, I served in state government as Economic Development Director, providing support to Vermont's working lands and green economy businesses and workers. Part of the ninth generation of my family in Vermont, I have lived in Montpelier since 2014 with my wife, Joan Javier-Duval, and our 8-year-old son. I earned my master's degree in Public Affairs from Princeton University (2014), with a concentration in domestic policy. Earlier in my career I served as an intern for then-Congressman Bernie Sanders (2002) and as the youngest member of Gov. Howard Dean's policy team during his presidential campaign (2003).

I believe that politics matters because policy matters -- and that policy matters because people matter. I am running, first and foremost, because I want to help craft careful, effective policy that improves the lives of Vermonters. I believe that policy making should be guided by evidence, reason, and empathy and that policy makers should work with civility, humility, and collaboration. Over the years I have learned that good intentions are not enough. Doing the hard, careful work matters.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

An economy that works better for working Vermonters including: raising the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation, more affordable housing (following smart growth principles), and greater access to affordable health care and child care.Bold and Equitable Climate Action: Implement the recommendations of the Vermont Climate Action Plan and ensure that Vermont meets our legally (and morally) binding Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) requirements. Specifically this includes passing the Clean Heat Standard, joining a regional cap and invest program, and more..Vermont Green New Deal: Repeal the Trump tax cuts for the highest income Vermonters and use the revenue gained from returning to the Obama-era rates for the wealthiest as a sustainable source of revenue to scale up weatherization of low-income homes and other equitable energy action.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about passing more equitable economic policy and ambitious climate and clean energy policies. I believe that politics matters because policy matters -- and that policy matters because people matter. My main priorities are policies that improve the lives of my constituents, especially lower and middle income Vermonters. This is why I am also committed to raising the minimum wage, paid family leave, and expanding access to affordable and high quality child care and healthcare.

From 2014 - 2017 I served as Economic Development Director at the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, providing support to working lands and green economy businesses and workers across Vermont. For the last five years I have served as Executive Director of the Energy Action Network and helped to lead Vermont’s response to the climate crisis, including working for an equitable transition to cleaner and more affordable energy. I am a member of the Vermont Climate Council and a co-author of Vermont’s Climate Action Plan. I have also served on the Boards of Vermont’s Clean Energy Development Fund and the Public Assets Institute, whose mission includes improving the well-being of all Vermonters by conducting research and analysis related to the state budget and fiscal policy.

Earlier in my career, I served as an intern for then-Congressman Bernie Sanders (2002), as the youngest member of the policy team for Governor Howard Dean’s presidential campaign (2003).