Mike Rice announces campaign for Vermont House
DORSET — Mike Rice, of Dorset, announced his candidacy for the Bennington-Rutland seat in the Vermont House, which includes the towns of Danby, Dorset, Landgrove, Mt. Tabor, and Peru. Rice previously represented the district from 2023-2025.
“I have a basic core belief: our government should help make our lives better,” said Rice. “It should help make life more affordable and give us all a fair shake when it comes to accessing and affording housing, healthcare, energy, childcare, and education. But right now, life here is still too expensive for too many of us. Since the federal government is currently doing more harm than good, state and local solutions are more important than ever."
During his previous term in office, Rice was a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry, where he led on legislation providing universal school meals for Vermont’s kids, curbing the use of toxic pesticides on Vermont’s farmland, and supporting small farms and rural businesses. He also served as a leader of the Climate Solutions Caucus and as a policy fellow with the national, bipartisan organization, Future Caucus, working with colleagues from across the political spectrum to strengthen democracy.
Rice championed the 2023 childcare legislation passed with his support, Act 76, as an example of the kind of policymaking we need. “Our progress on childcare is proof that we can respond to big problems with bold solutions that make life better for Vermonters. The result of that legislation is quality, affordable childcare for thousands of Vermont families who couldn’t find it or afford it before, and we’ll continue to see the ripple effects of that for our families, our workforce, our economy, and our communities for years to come.”
On his priorities if elected this year, Rice said, “It all comes down to building a Vermont that works for us. That means standing up for our region’s unique education system and against top-down education reform that ignores local voices, finding real solutions to our housing crisis so that people can afford to make a life here, and fixing our broken healthcare system so that people can access and afford the care they deserve.”
While in office, Rice wrote a regular email newsletter sharing updates from Montpelier, posted frequent social media updates, and held over a dozen constituent coffee hours and conversations throughout the district, highlighting his commitment to constituent communication. He said he would continue to prioritize direct constituent communication if elected this year, along with a positive vision for Vermont. "Our community deserves a state representative who leads with values, shows up with solutions, works hard to make progress, and communicates directly and effectively with constituents about what’s happening up in Montpelier,” Rice said.
“The overlapping problems we face are big and complicated. But I believe that we have the tools to solve those big problems together, and build a state where young people can afford to stay, older Vermonters can afford to retire and live in dignity, and our small rural communities can thrive. I’ll never stop loving and believing in this place and the people who make it home, and I’ll never stop fighting for our future here,” he concluded.
Visit www.mikericevt.com for more information.
