Vermont state senator announces bid for Congress

Vermont state Sen. Becca Balint (D) on Monday announced her candidacy for the state’s U.S. House seat, becoming the second Democrat to jump into the race for Congress after Rep. Peter Welch (D) announced he would run for Senate.

“I’m running because I believe that, even with the challenges of today, we cannot back away from fighting for each other,” Balint said in a statement, according to the VT Digger. “We have to deliver on some big promises for Vermont working families, and that is going to take courage and kindness.”

Balint made history as the first openly gay woman elected to the state Senate and the first woman to serve as president of the chamber.

The state senator joins Vermont’s Lieutenant Gov. Molly Gray, who announced her candidacy for the seat last week, in the Democratic primary.

“Our workforce is shrinking, housing is unaffordable, families are forced to choose between caring for loved ones and paying the bills, and our next generation is struggling to make it work. From affordable, quality child care to workforce development, I’m committed to working hard to bring real solutions to Vermont families. As Vermont’s Congresswoman I’ll fight for every corner of Vermont,” Gray said in a statement last week.

Gray’s campaign announced on Monday that it raked in $111,000 in its first week, including $50,000 within 24 hours of its launch. 

If elected, Balint and Gray would be the first women to represent the Green Mountain State in Washington. No Republican candidates have yet to announce a run for the seat, which is considered to be safely Democratic. 

The developments come after Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) set off a chain reaction in Vermont politics last month when he announced his decision to retire from the upper chamber.

Welch, who was seen as a natural heir apparent to Leahy, announced his candidacy for the seat shortly after the retiring senator’s announcement, leaving his House seat open.