Becca Balint

Becca Balint is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Vermont's at-large congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as the President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate and as the Majority Leader of the Vermont Senate. Balint is the first woman and the first openly LGBT person to represent Vermont in Congress.

Early life and education

Becca Balint was born in a U.S. Army hospital in Heidelberg, Germany, to a military family. She spent her early childhood on various Army posts before her family settled in Peekskill, New York. Balint earned her Bachelor of Arts in history from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She later received a Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Master of Social Work from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Early career

Before entering politics, Balint worked as a middle school teacher in Maryland and Massachusetts. She moved to Vermont in 1997, where she taught social studies at the Putney School and later worked as a community organizer. Her political career began in the Vermont Senate, to which she was first elected in 2014, representing the Windham District. She was elected Majority Leader of the Vermont Senate in 2017 and became President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate in 2021.

U.S. House of Representatives

In 2022, following the decision of incumbent Peter Welch to run for the U.S. Senate, Balint entered the Democratic primary for Vermont's at-large congressional district. She won a competitive primary against Lt. Governor Molly Gray and later defeated Republican nominee Liam Madden in the general election. Upon her swearing-in in January 2023, she joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus and was assigned to the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Political positions

Balint is a progressive Democrat who advocates for policies including the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and expanding the Supreme Court. She has been a vocal supporter of LGBT rights, abortion rights, and stricter gun control laws. In foreign policy, she supports continued aid to Ukraine following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has been critical of the Israeli government's actions in Gaza.

Personal life

Balint is married and lives in Brattleboro, Vermont, with her spouse and their two children. She has spoken publicly about her identity as a gay woman and the importance of LGBT representation in government. Balint is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association and has been involved with local organizations such as the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center and the Vermont Community Foundation.

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont Category:Vermont Democrats Category:21st-century American politicians