Vermont’s longest-serving governor is thinking about getting back in the saddle. 

Howard Dean, a Burlington Democrat who led the state from 1991 to 2003, has been discussing whether to challenge Republican Gov. Phil Scott in this fall’s election, WCAX first reported Friday.  

Dean confirmed his interest in a text message to VtDigger on Saturday. 

“I am considering running,” he said. 

Dean declined an interview request, saying he was out of state. “You get to find out when everyone else (me included) does,” he wrote. 

It’s far from clear whether Dean will move ahead with a campaign, but party leaders say they’re taking the prospect seriously — and some volunteers have begun collecting signatures to get Dean’s name on the ballot ahead of the May 30 deadline. 

“I have talked to him about the possibility and I know he’s considering it,” said Jim Dandeneau, executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party. “I know he’s not 100% right now.”

Lachlan Francis, chair of the Windham County Democratic Committee, said that he and others around the state have been circulating petitions to get Dean on the ballot as they gather signatures for other statewide candidates.

“There certainly has been some interest in supporting Gov. Dean and getting him on the ballot,” Francis said.  

A physician by training, Dean was elected to the Vermont House in 1982 and successfully ran for lieutenant governor in 1986. He took over the state’s top job in August 1991 upon the death of Republican Gov. Dick Snelling and went on to win five two-year teams in his own right. 

Dean ran an insurgent campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, fueled by strong grassroots support largely motivated by his opposition to the Iraq War. He went on to chair the Democratic National Committee for four years, leading an effort to invest resources in states where Democrats had not traditionally been competitive. He has since played a variety of roles, including public policy consulting, teaching and as a television commentator. 

How Dean would fare in a matchup against Scott is hard to say. Dean, 75, was a formidable player in Vermont politics for decades, but it has been nearly a quarter-century since he has appeared on a statewide ballot. 

Scott, meanwhile, has won three elections as lieutenant governor and four as governor — most by wide margins. National polls routinely find that he is among the most popular governors in the country. A recent University of New Hampshire survey found that 58% of those polled said they hoped Scott would seek reelection this year. 

A moderate Republican who has consistently rejected former President Donald Trump, Scott has successfully courted Democrats and independents throughout his tenure. The UNH survey found that 55% of Democrats and 59% of independents hope he’ll run again. 

Scott has not said whether he’ll seek reelection, though he is widely expected to do so. A spokesperson, Jason Maulucci, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday. 

Paul Dame, chair of the Vermont Republican Party, expressed surprise at the development. “I know the Dems have had a hard time finding candidates to run against Scott, but for rumors of Dean to circulate seems really strange,” he said.

Dame noted that Dean’s reputation as a fiscal conservative during his governorship was at odds with his image as a progressive firebrand during and after his presidential bid. “So the question would be which Dean would the Democrats be getting?” he said. 

Dandeneau, the Vermont Democratic Party leader, said he’s clear-eyed about what it would take to dislodge Scott from the governor’s office.

“I think beating any incumbent is very, very difficult — especially one as popular as Phil Scott — but I wouldn’t rule anything out at this point,” he said. “I do think there’s a path to victory here, but it’s a very complicated and difficult path, and I’m not sugarcoating it for anybody.”

So far, the only declared gubernatorial candidate is Democrat Esther Charlestin, a consultant and former Middlebury school administrator. Dandeneau said he has not heard from others who are “especially interested in getting into the race.”