Vermont becomes 50th state to send a woman to Congress

(Image credit: Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Vermont voters elected Democratic state Sen. Becca Balint to the state's sole U.S. House seat, making her the first woman and first openly gay candidate Vermont has sent to Congress. She also ends Vermont's streak as the only state not to have sent a woman to Congress. Balint, the state Senate president and a former middle school teacher, defeated GOP nominee Liam Madden, three independents, and a libertarian candidate.

Vermont's House seat opened up when Rep. Peter Welch (D) ran for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), 82, who held the Senate seat since 1974. Welch also won Tuesday night.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.