A Vermont Republican legislator who faced bipartisan condemnation after participating in a long-running group chat that was peppered with racist and antisemitic language announced on Friday that he would resign.
State Senator Samuel Douglass, 26, was one of a dozen young Republican Party activists from around the country who had participated in the texts, which were first reported on Tuesday by Politico. And while some participants worked for Republican lawmakers or held government posts, Mr. Douglass was the only elected official.
“I know that this decision will upset many, and delight others, but in this political climate I must keep my family safe,” he said in a lengthy statement that was submitted to the local news media and legislative officials.
His resignation will be effective at noon on Monday, Mr. Douglass said in his statement.
“Offense was taken and people were hurt, so I will mend bridges to the best of my ability. Since the story broke, I have reached out to the majority of my Jewish and BIPOC friends and colleagues to ensure that they can be honest and upfront with me, and I know that as a young person I have a duty to set a good example for others,” Mr. Douglass added, using an acronym for Black, Indigenous and people of color.
Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, is now expected to appoint a replacement — presumably a Republican — to serve out the rest of Mr. Douglass’s term through the end of 2026. Democrats control both the House and Senate, but more Democrats lost seats in Vermont than in any other state in 2024, in large part because of concerns over affordability.
According to Politico, Mr. Douglass, who was elected in 2024 as part of the Republican wave, had responded to a message about “a very obese Indian woman” by writing, “She just didn’t bathe often.” His wife, Brianna, participated in the chat, too, and posted an antisemitic remark.
Mr. Douglass quickly lost political capital, just one week after the Vermont Republican Party named him as a finalist for two awards, Rookie of the Year and Legislator of the Year. Mr. Scott, a moderate who had supported Mr. Douglass in 2024 as a “common-sense candidate,” called on him to resign and leave the Republican Party. Vermont’s Republican leaders in the House and Senate also urged him to resign.
At first, Mr. Douglass, a mental health counselor and real estate agent who represents a northern district on the Canadian border, said that he was unaware of the “vile and disgusting comments” made in the group chat, and said that the comment attributed to him “doesn’t represent my views or character.” He apologized, but did not resign.
But Mr. Douglass has changed his mind.
Mr. Douglass’s resignation was the latest fallout from the texts, which involved about a dozen Gen Z and millennial Republicans in Vermont, New York, Kansas and Arizona. The exchanges — amounting to 2,900 pages sent over Telegram over seven months — used racist and homophobic language and glibly invoking Hitler and the Holocaust.
A chief of staff to a New York assemblyman who has since been fired posted “I Love Hitler.” At another point, when he was asked if he was watching an N.B.A. game, he responded, “I’d go to the zoo if I wanted to watch monkey play ball.”
The vice chairman of Kansas Young Republicans — a group which has since been disbanded by the state party — used racial slurs against Black people: “Bro is at a chicken restaurant ordering his food. Would he like some watermelon and kool aid with that?”
Many state Republicans condemned the texts, which occurred between January and August. But some national Republicans were dismissive. Vice President JD Vance said critics should “focus on the real issues” and “grow up.”
David W. Chen reports on state legislatures, state level policymaking and the political forces behind them.
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