Washington: India-born Praneet Menon has won a seat in the Vermont House of Representatives from the two-member Orleans-Lamoille district, appearing with both Republican and Democratic affiliations on the general-election ballot.
Menon received 1,992 votes, while incumbent Mark Higley of Lowell received 2,815. There were 43 write-in votes, according to results published by FYIVT using Vermont Secretary of State data. Both candidates were listed as “Rep/Dem”.
The district elects two representatives, allowing both men to win seats. The returns should therefore not be read as a head-to-head contest in which Menon lost to Higley.
Menon entered the race as a Republican, according to Vermont Public’s primary election guide. His subsequent listing with both major-party affiliations does not, by itself, establish that he switched parties.
His campaign focused on household costs, schools, housing, healthcare and workforce shortages in the rural district. He proposed greater scrutiny of property taxes, utility bills and other expenses, alongside policies intended to expand the local tax base.
On employment, Menon advocated support for small businesses, vocational training, childcare and broadband. His housing proposals included changes to permitting and infrastructure investment to increase year-round accommodation.
His education platform emphasised classroom resources, local decision-making and opposition to unfunded requirements. He also proposed stronger community healthcare, expanded telehealth and improved mental health services.
The campaign described his approach as “Responsible Stewardship. Practical Action.”
According to his campaign biography, Menon has worked on aviation and defence programmes in private industry, including contracting involving the US Air Force and Army. The website also says he became a certified flight instructor and established a small software business. Those professional details are attributed to his campaign.
Born and raised in India, Menon moved to the United States at 16, according to the biography. He studied aeronautical and mechanical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and later earned a master’s degree from the University of Vermont.
Menon’s family moved to Coventry during the pandemic after living elsewhere for nearly a decade, the website says. His local service has included the planning commission and town finance committee, as well as leadership of school and supervisory union boards.
(IANS)
