Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) decided against a bid to challenge Gov. Phil Scott (R), WCAX reports.

Said Dean: “In theory, this is a winnable race. But I’ve been in state and national politics for a very long time, and there’s only one way to close a 10-point gap between two well-known candidates, and that’s to run a scorched-earth, negative attack campaign, like ones being run all over the country.”

He added: “I don’t know if a campaign like that could get me elected, but I do know that it would be really harmful to our state and to our values. I am not a candidate for the office of governor.”

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) is mulling another run for his old job, VT Digger reports.

Said Dean: “I am considering running.”

“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.”

“Vermont Democrats made history Tuesday by nominating Christine Hallquist as the first transgender individual to be a major party candidate for governor,” the Burlington Free Press reports.

”Meanwhile, preliminary results showed that Gov. Phil Scott survived a challenge animated by his former Republican allies in the gun-rights movement.”

“The general election matchup pits Hallquist, a former utility executive who has never held statewide elected office, against Scott, a former construction company owner seeking a second term.”

Washington Post: “Unlike most states, Vermont has no age requirement for gubernatorial candidates, only a residency requirement. Sonneborn, who has lived in Bristol for 14 years — his entire life — makes the cut.”

“With all those hurdles cleared, could Sonneborn… actually win the Democratic nomination on Aug. 14? Probably not. Age aside, he is hamstrung by very low name recognition, a problem that his adult Democratic opponents face as well. But hey, nobody thought a 14-year-old would actually run, let alone land himself on the ballot, let alone participate — and hold his own — against his adult competitors in several candidate forums.”

“A candidate for governor in Vermont is too young to vote, but he’s not too young to run,” the Boston Globe reports.

“Thirteen-year-old Ethan Sonneborn tells the Burlington Free Press that he can run because Vermont is one of two states without age restrictions. He’s currently collecting 500 signatures of registered voters, a requirement for the Vermont ballot.”

“He acknowledges he’s struggled to get Democratic Party officials to take him seriously and that campaigning will be difficult during school. But he’s undeterred. He says he’d rather lose the election and get visibility than lose quietly.”

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) told New England Cable News that he will not seek reelection in 2016.

Said Shumlin: “I’ve never seen politics as a life-long career. I decided to make this decision now because I want these next 18 months to be about the work that we still have to do. We have a lot to do.”