Balint claims victory; first woman elected to Congress from Vt.

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Becca Balint has claimed victory and will become the first woman to serve on Vermont’s Congressional delegation.

With nearly half of the precincts reporting, Balint held a 61% lead over Republican challenger Liam Madden’s 30%. Madden immediately conceded the race.

Balint will take over the House seat vacated by Democrat Peter Welch, who decided to run for the Senate after Sen. Pat Leahy said he was retiring. The 54-year-old from Brattleboro has served four two-year terms in the Vermont Senate, including as majority leader from 2017 to 2020. She was elected Senate president in 2021, becoming the first woman and first openly gay person in that role.

Balint says she learned the skill of deep listening as a teacher, and will take it to Washington to try to find common ground at a time when she says democracy is at stake and election deniers are on the ballot in other states. She wants to protect voter rights, and says she’s concerned about the U.S. Supreme Court and what she calls its lack of transparency. She would like to see term limits for that court and for federal judges, as well as for members of Congress.

Liam Madden, a self-described Independent, won the Republican primary. The Marine Corps veteran and anti-war activist campaigned on a platform that the two-party political system is dysfunctional.

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