But Wednesday, as he processed his lopsided defeat to Alderman Dave Allaire, the chief opponent of his plan to bring 100 Syrian and Iraqi refugees to the city, Louras said he had been wrong on two key points:
One, the refugee issue was the only one that mattered to voters. And two, he was apparently mistaken in his oft-stated belief that the refugees’ supporters outnumbered their opponents in the community.
“In spite of the fact that we tried to make this campaign about issues and about facts, the reality is that it was in fact a referendum on resettlement,” Louras told Seven Days. “They voted on emotion. Rutland is a microcosm of the national dialogue around immigrants and refugees [and] I believe that was the major contributing factor to this campaign and to the voters’ decision.”
The large margin of his loss to Allaire, 2,196 votes to 1,420, made it clear that there was nothing he could have done to overcome resistance to his signature issue, Louras said.
“It was such a blowout that it is laughable. I had my tail handed to me, so I can’t reflect on it and say, ‘What could I have done differently?'” Louras, a former Republican who turned independent, said. “When you get whooped this bad, there’s no tactic or strategy that overcomes that.”
“I knew there was absolutely a possibility that I was not going to get reelected, but I thought that it was going to be more of a jump ball,” he continued. “I thought it was going to be a closer race and I am surprised at the level of non-support.”
After 10 years in office, Louras, a former Army helicopter pilot, will depart Rutland City Hall on March 15, having lost his job fighting for a plan that never came to fruition.
Late in 2015, Louras unveiled the proposal to bring the refugees to Rutland, which has been losing population for decades. The mayor pitched the plan, without consulting the Board of Aldermen, as a humanitarian imperative and economic development initiative.
Opponents criticized Louras, 56, and Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program officials for their secretive planning. Some critics engaged in nativist rhetoric, and questioned whether refugees would carry diseases or try to bring Sharia law.
In September, Louras appeared to have scored a historic victory when the U.S. State Department approved Rutland as a resettlement site. But President Donald Trump’s executive orders cracking down on immigration from Syria and other countries scuttled the plan.
Only two Syrian families, which together include five children, made it to Rutland. Those families, Louras said, made it all worthwhile.
“I have absolutely no regret whatsoever about pursuing the resettlement issue,” Louras said. “If bringing five kids here who can rebuild their life cost me my job then so be it. Fine. I’m honestly good with that.”
Allaire did not respond to a message seeking comment. He had been among the most vocal opponents of refugee resettlement, though he insisted he was not opposed to refugees, but to the process by which Louras developed the plan.
Allaire told Vermont Public Radio on Tuesday night that he won because of voters’ resistance to refugees, as well as concerns about a Louras plan to restructure the fire department.
“It feels wonderful,” Allaire told VPR. “I’m so grateful, I’m humbled, I’m thankful to the voters of the City of Rutland. I think this is an exciting night for the city and it’s a chance to start new and I can’t wait to get to work.”
Louras, a Rutland native who served in the state legislature before taking over city hall, said that his political career is over.
“I will not seek any elected office again,” Louras said. “That is off the table.”
He will remain in Rutland, but he has yet to develop a plan for what he will do next, beyond planting his vegetable garden.
“I had been planning on serving another two years, so I haven’t had a chance to reflect on what my prospects are,” he said.
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Louras downfall was simply his arrogance.
It started two years ago when he tried to jam reducing Rutland’s critical Woodstock Ave from 4 lanes to 2. Massive outrage at Louras then and Rutland luckily survived retaining our four lanes, even as Louras did everything humanely possible to change the road against the will of virtually everyone in and around Rutland. Fast forward to the secretive Louras rollout of the refugee program, lining up his allies (Shumlin, Leahy, left leaning local biz leaders) to support the rollout, keeping those he didn’t want to deal with including his Board of Alderman and Rutland citizens in the dark. You don’t run a city this way and he deserved the ballot beatdown he received.
This is a tremendous lesson for our politicos, don’t act like a King when you’re a Mayor.
Now that Chris Louras is out of a job maybe he should move to Syria and look for one.
Let’s export our idiots instead of importing theirs!
Most times I can be found on the right side of political debate in Vermont and don’t disagree with Bradford that ” Louras downfall was simply his arrogance. ” However the following comment is just too much in calling him an idiot . But given all that comment’s “likes” , I guess political courage is scorned a political opportunism is to be celebrated . The rabble has spoken .
Rutlanders want jobs and the crime actually fought and won. People don’t care beyond that. Louras chased every business right out of the city and made the crime and drugs worse not better. I’m from Rutland but left to raise a family in a safer community in Vermont. I sincerely hope we do the exact same thing to the rest of these job crushing democrats. Lets show them all the unemployment line.
Mayor Louras,
You need to stop blaming your loss on the refugee situation you created..
You clearly lost because you are a deceitful person and have no problem lying to the public.
I think it is sad that you cannot accept that and you still want to cast a dark cloud on the hard-working honest people of Rutland Vermont and the surrounding area.
When I attended the mayoral debate I heard you make the statement that everyone is watching to see the results of the mayoral election.
It seemed as though you threatened everyone that if you weren’t elected the people of Rutland Vermont would look like they were against the refugees.
The people in this community should have been allowed to have some input in this major decision but YOU decided to leave them out.
You losing this election is only the result of you being deceitful and ignoring the voters of Rutland, VT.
The decision to appoint a non-firefighter as Chief and this Chief’s decision to “redesign” the fire department did not help Mayor Louras. I agree that it was his arrogance that did him in.
President Notte – were you paying attention?
Sounds to me like this idiots flame he was carrying was for refugees and not his community. I do not want refugees from any country brought here. They need to be housed in their own country or region. In today’s world if you are a refugee then your people and your culture has failed. You either can’t defend yourself or choose not to. Why should we reward a failed culture, ideology or religion with our gift of citizenship. These countries that are full of lazy, ignorant and culturally
backward people need to figure out their own mess. We can help, we can send money, arms, food and maybe even help militarily. But we do not need to import people who have not earned our hospitality. I’m sorry if that sounds harsh but I just don’t care about what some other culture is up to. We are America. We have a distinct and successful culture. In 230 years we have dominated the world. Syria and the region over there is thousands of years old and they still can’t get their act together? And people want to bring that here? No way.
Be interesting to get a look at Louras’ Carribbean bank account.
Some critics engaged in nativist rhetoric, and questioned whether refugees would carry diseases or try to bring Sharia law.
Fake news alert: telling the TRUTH is now “nativist”.
The fact that people here are saying things like “Louras should find a job in Syria” or “These countries that are full of lazy, ignorant and culturally backward people need to figure out their own mess” is abhorrent. Seriously, didn’t your parents teach you people manners?
Louras was the best thing Rutland had going for it. I can’t think of single reason why a young family would move to Rutland.
Louras listened to the resettlement corporation people instead of the public. He was a classically arrogant liberal that deserved what he got and more,
At Richard LaRouche. When you refer to people that have differing views than yours as “rabble,” as you did, it speaks volumes about your self-rightous attitude and arrogance! At present you have 28 likes and 78 dislikes, so I guess the “rabble” is speaking to you loud and clear!
There is a whole list of things that Louras has done to lose this election he is just lucky to have lasted as long as he did.
The refugee issue was just the last straw as far as I am concerned. Now move on!
This guy took a play right out of Hillary’s book: lose and then blame it on your constituency being too racist.