Cartoonist Tim Newcomb has been skewering Vermont politicians since Richard Snelling was governor of Vermont. His first drawing, for a 1984 cover of the Vanguard Press, showed Snelling and Public Service Board commissioner Richard Saudek together in a car, coming down from Canada after negotiating an energy deal with Hydro-Québec. Saudek hated the drawing so much, "he came close to punching me out in a Montpelier restaurant," Newcomb recalled, noting that the two eventually became friends.

Former governor Jim Douglas appreciated Newcomb’s work, too — after he left office. "Political cartoons have played an important role, going back to the 19th century, in contributing to political discourse," Douglas told the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus upon the publication of Newcomb’s 2018 book, A Gaggle of Governors. "They often put an exclamation point on the big issues and personalities. Tim has certainly continued that tradition."

Here, in 12 panels, are some graphic highlights of Vermont political history, according to Newcomb.