Becca Balint to become Vermont’s first woman in U.S. Congress

by Cecilia Odey

Democrat Becca Balint would become the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress from Vermont, U.S. broadcasters have projected.

Vermont, from the north-east of the country, was the last remaining U.S. state not to have elected a woman to Congress.

She would also become the first openly LGBTQ person to represent the state.

Balint defeated Republican nominee Liam Madden and took over from Republican Peter Welch.

Welch, a Democrat, was elected to represent Vermont in the Senate, replacing long-serving Patrick Leahy.

Leahy, 82, was first elected to the Senate in 1974 and didn’t seek re-election. (dpa/NAN)