A Vermont state lawmaker has resigned over his participation in a Young Republican group Telegram chat littered with racist and antisemitic remarks.
State Senator Samuel Douglass, 26, was one of a dozen Young Republican Club members from across the country who were part of the private text chats.
The chats, first obtained and published by Politico, included individuals who worked for GOP lawmakers and government offices. Mr. Douglass was the only elected official who participated in the chats.
Mr. Douglass had responded to a message about “a very obese Indian woman” by writing, “She just didn’t bathe often.”
His wife, Brianna, also participated in the chat and posted an antisemitic remark.
The group chat included comments calling Black people “the watermelon people” and “monkeys,” and remarks about using Nazi “gas chambers.”
Vermont’s Republican Party leaders called on Mr. Douglass to resign. He initially resisted, saying he did not know about the “vile and disgusting comments” made in the group chat and that the comment attributed to him “doesn’t represent my views or character.”
He apologized and did not resign at first. A couple of days later, he tendered his resignation effective at noon Monday.
“Even though I represent a conservative Republican district, I never wanted to alienate anyone no matter their party, much to the consternation of fellow Republicans,” he said in a statement. “I vowed I would serve in a moderate fashion, like my predecessor, and ensure that everyone’s voices were heard.”
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, is expected to appoint a replacement, likely a Republican, to serve out the remainder of Mr. Douglass’s term through the end of 2026.
Democrats control the House and Senate chambers, though more Democrats lost seats in Vermont than in any other state in 2024.
Mr. Douglass’ resignation came not long after New York’s Republican State Committee suspended the New York State Young Republican organization because its leaders participated in the group chat.
The Republican State Committee said the Young Republican group could be reconstituted at a future date.
Peter Giunta, who previously served as chairman of the New York Young Republicans and was part of the chats, lost his job last week as chief of staff to a state senator, and three other members of the organization who participated in the chats lost their jobs as well.
Democrats attempted to link congressional Republicans to the chats.
“Disgraceful New York Republicans Mike Lawler and Elise Stefanik have been palling around with these racist, antisemitic and bigoted ‘Young Republicans’ for years,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote on X. “Their silence exposes what’s always been true — the phony outrage was nothing more than performance.”
Ms. Stefanik and Mr. Lawler condemned the chats and the Young Republicans in them.
