Democrat Balint will be Vermont’s 1st woman in Congress

By LISA RATHKE
Associated Press

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Democrat Becca Balint has won the race for Vermont’s lone seat in the U.S. House. She will become the state’s first woman and first openly gay person to represent Vermont in Congress. Balint is president of the state Senate and a former teacher. She beat the other major party candidate, Liam Madden, an independent who won the Republican primary. Three independents and one libertarian candidate were also in the race. Balint was the choice of the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party in Vermont. She says she wants to protect voter rights and try to find common ground in Washington at a time when she says democracy is imperiled.