Charlton, Hoser square off in Chester forum

By Nicholas Boke and
Cynthia Prairie
© 2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Around 75 people attended last Tuesday’s forum for Vermont House candidates for the Windsor-Windham District, pitting incumbent Tom Charlton, a Republican, against Democratic challenger Will Hoser. Both are Chester residents seeking to represent the towns of Athens, Chester, Grafton and Windham in the Vermont State House.

The forum, held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at Chester Town Hall and co-sponsored by both Republican and Democratic  Chester Town committees, was just one of a number that these two candidates have been participating in during the final month of the campaign season, prior to the Tuesday, Nov. 3 election.

The event began with questions developed by the local Democratic and Republican committees, and were later followed up by audience questions.  Town Moderator Frank Kelley emceed this event, beginning by asking each candidate why they should be elected state representative.

Hoser emphasized his 30 years in Chester where he raised two children, worked in emergency and urgent care departments, including as a first responder, and co-owned the long-running Heritage Deli, which closed in early 2025 after 23 years in business.

We need to support a community nurse program … and we also need to support our mobile unit, which I have recently joined … to decrease barriers, increase access. Again, there’s an elephant in this room. The crisis has been exacerbated by the current (Trump) administration by kicking millions of people off of Medicaid and Obamacare.

Will Hoser
Democratic challenger

“During my medical work, I have had to look people in the eye, listen to their challenges, and help them no matter what their differences,” he said, adding that he had been referred to as the “town medic,” and wants to be part of the solution of Vermont’s many problems.

“It didn’t matter where you came from, didn’t matter what you did, didn’t matter who you loved, it didn’t matter if you were religious or not, and it certainly did not matter what political party you were affiliated with. That’s what it means to be a first responder,” Hoser said. 

Charlton emphasized his “lifetime of listening to the issues of families and neighbors,” with 25 years working in churches after graduating from Green Mountain High School in 1984, leaving Vermont and then returning. “After two years (in office), I know how the legislature works, which is complicated. I am willing to go back if you want me to go back.”

“Rural Vermont is disadvantaged in how political decisions are made in Montpelier, and that in the last six months has become more apparent. But now … I think there’s hope to turn that around. We’re 60% of the state, and we’re not always being heard when it comes to the big decisions of the day. I think that’s about to change, and I think it can change in a positive way,” said Charlton.

Subsequent questions focused on education, housing and health care among many others.

The candidates’ approaches highlighted their differing viewpoints. Charlton emphasized the need to simplify legislation by, for example, cutting the state bureaucracy. Hoser, on the other hand, emphasized the need to improve programs, such as establishing universal primary care for all Vermonters.

Regarding the state’s housing shortage, Hoser suggested using state and local programs more effectively, including building more housing in town centers. Charlton said that government should not pay for new housing since its own processes raise building costs, but abandoned housing should be renovated. As for rentals, Charlton said, “A lot of the small landholders are terrified to go into long-term rental (because of problems with tenants) … We need to give (them) the confidence to make their apartments available to long-term.”

On health care, Hoser said, “We need to support a community nurse program, which has recently been established in Grafton, and we also need to support our mobile unit, which I have recently joined as a staff member with Northstar Health, to decrease barriers, increase access. Again, there’s an elephant in this room. The crisis has been exacerbated by the current (Trump) administration by kicking millions of people off of Medicaid and Obamacare.”

Both candidates agreed that efforts should be made to keep high school and college graduates in the state and, given the rising costs of almost everything, that the fuel assistance program should be supported.

Issues raised by the audience ranged widely, from asking how the legislature might help businesses support health care, addressing the growing financial inequality among Vermonters, protecting businesses and luring in more full-time residents.

Concerning employer-provided health care, Hoser said, “Having been an employer myself, the secret sauce of having healthy and happy employees and productive employees is when they feel valued. That is that is as simple as it is, I don’t know exactly how I would do that — not having a legislative record — but I would certainly pursue that.”

Rural Vermont is disadvantaged in how political decisions are made in Montpelier, and that in the last six months has become more apparent. But now … I think there’s hope to turn that around. We’re 60% of the state, and we’re not always being heard when it comes to the big decisions of the day. I think that’s about to change, and I think it can change in a positive way.

Tom Charlton
Republican incumbent

Charlton suggested that “bringing down the general cost of of healthcare to the businesses” is crucial. “The small group plans used to be a big advantage to local businesses. … (when) the chamber could offer a group policy, they were generally very, very competitive … the more available they can make it to employers … the good employers … want to really take care of their work staff.”

Charlton expressed concern that raising taxes on the wealthy might prompt some to leave, while Hoser was more concerned to “see what we could do.”

As for business retention, Charlton said, “There’s small business incentives. There are also larger incentives that bring things like Beta Technologies into the bigger communities. There are a lot of small businesses in the state. We have a relatively high ‘survival rate’ for new businesses, partly because … there’s a high bar just to get started in Vermont.” He added that there is no difference between the regulatory burdens for a small business with five to 10 employees and one with 50 to 100, so simplifying that burden would be significant.

Hoser said, “The legislature has a role in creating conditions for business development … that’s something that government should should aid in.” He added that related issues also would benefit, such as “affordable housing, predictable regulations, access to capital, a reliable workforce.”

In closing, Charlton said “the state has to ask itself what it’s doing” and simplify things. Hoser said everyone should “get five people to vote; we have to decrease all this apathy.”