NOTE: This post was updated 10/26/2022 to reflect additional successful primary races by Emerge Vermont trained women.
Burlington, VT—Emerge Vermont, the state’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, delivered big wins up and down the ballot in last night’s primary election. The organization had 49 alums on the ballot with 45 wins and a 92% win rate. 37.5% of alums on the ballot were members of the New American Majority—Black, Brown and Indigenous women and women of color, as well as LGBTQ+, young, and unmarried women—while 10 were first-time candidates. Their victories are part of an emerging national trend that underscores the successes of women candidates at the ballot box.
“More women are winning when running for office than ever before, thanks in part to Emerge Vermont, which recruits and trains Democratic women to run,” said former Vermont Governor Madeleine M. Kunin, who founded Emerge Vermont in 2013. “I’m thrilled that Emerge Vermont is making a difference in women’s high success rate.”
Alums of Emerge Vermont were on the ballot for offices at every level, from the Legislature to Governor to Congress. “Emerge Vermont alums were a dominant force on the ballot last night, and we are thrilled that so many of them have succeeded in the primary,” said Elaine Haney, executive director of Emerge Vermont. “These women are exceptional leaders with backgrounds, experiences, and identities that represent the unique diversity of our state. If elected in November, they will transform our political structures, provide new voices for traditionally underrepresented communities, and demonstrate the importance of women in leadership. We’re incredibly proud of them and hope to see similar success in the general election.”
The Emerge Vermont alums who won on Tuesday are:
| Candidate | Office | District | Emerge Class |
| Alyssa Black | State Representative | Chittenden-24 | 2020 |
| Angela Lawrence | High Bailiff | Windham County | 2022 |
| Anna Tadio | State Senator | Rutland County | 2022 |
| Anne Watson | State Senator | Washington County | 2017 |
| Becca Balint | U.S. Representative | 2014 | |
| Becca White | State Senator | Windham | 2016 |
| Brenda Churchill | State Representative | Franklin-6 | 2018 |
| Brenda Siegel | Governor | 2022 | |
| Carol Ode | State Representative | Chittenden-18 | 2015 |
| Charity Clark | Attorney General | 2022 | |
| Daisy Berbeco | State Representative | Chittenden-21 | 2022 |
| Emilie Kornheiser | State Representative | Windham-7 | 2018 |
| Emilie Krasnow | State Representative | Chittenden-9 | 2022 |
| Gabrielle Stebbins | State Representative | Chittenden-13 | 2020 |
| Jana Brown | State Representative | Chittenden-1 | 2018 |
| Jessica Brumsted | State Representative | Chittenden-7 | 2016 |
| Jill Krowinski | State Representative | Chittenden-16 | Former ED |
| Julia Andrews | State Representative | Chittenden-25 | 2022 |
| Karen Dolan | State Representative | Chittenden-22 | 2020 |
| Kari Dolan | State Representative | Washington-2 | 2018 |
| Kate Donnally | State Representative | Lamoille-2 | 2020 |
| Kate Lalley | State Representative | Chittenden-6 | 2020 |
| Katherine Sims | State Representative | Orleans-4 | 2016 |
| Kathleen James | State Representative | Bennington-4 | 2018 |
| Kathryn Nugent | State Representative | Chittenden-10 | 2021 |
| Kelsey Root-Winchester | State Representative | Orange-Caledonia | 2020 |
| Kesha Ram Hinsdale | State Senator | Chittenden-SE | Co-founder |
| Lauren Dees-Erickson | State Representative | Franklin-8 | 2022 |
| Leslie Goldman | State Representative | Windham-3 | 2020 |
| Madeline Motta | Assistant Judge | Lamoille County | 2014 |
| Mari Cordes | State Representative | Addison-4 | 2018 |
| Martine Gulick | State Senator | Chittenden-Central | 2018 |
| Melissa Battah | State Representative | Washington-Orleans | 2020 |
| Michelle Bos-Lun | State Representative | Windham-3 | 2020 |
| Monique Priestley | State Representative | Orange-2 | 2022 |
| Pam McCarthy | State Senator | Franklin County | 2014 |
| Rey Garofano | State Representative | Chittenden-23 | 2022 |
| Ruth Hardy | State Senator | Addison County | Former ED |
| Sara Coffey | State Representative | Windham-1 | 2018 |
| Sarah Copeland Hanzas | Secretary of State | 2022 | |
| Sarah George | State’s Attorney | Chittenden County | 2018 |
| Sarita Austin | State Representative | Chittenden-19 | 2018 |
| Saudia LaMont | State Representative | Lamoille-Washington | 2022 |
| Stephanie Jerome | State Representative | Rutland-9 | 2020 |
| Tiff Bluemle | State Representative | Chittenden-13 | 2020 |
The above winners are alums of Emerge Vermont’s Signature Training program. Another group of 13 women recently completed an intensive campaign training, with 11 (85%) also winning their primary races. They are:
Wins experienced by all 62 Emerge Vermont trained women on the primary ballot resulted in a 90% overall win rate. Emerge Vermont trained women also made up 39% of all candidates from all parties on the primary ballot.
Emerge Vermont has a proven track record for getting Democratic women elected. Since the organization launched in 2013, the program has equipped 174 women with the skills needed to bring change to their communities. Prior to Tuesday’s primary, 54% of alums have gone on to run for political office or been appointed to local boards or commissions, and of those who have gone on to run for an elected position, 39% have won including Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski, Senate Pro Tem Becca Balint, and Lt. Governor Molly Gray.
Nationally, Emerge has trained more than 5,000 alums since 2002 and currently has more than 1,000 alums in elected office across the country. The organization is committed to reaching 100,000 women of the New American Majority over the next 15 years, fostering a lift as you climb culture for women in politics, and repowering political structures. There are currently 27 state affiliates, and the organization has impacted a total of 45 states, Washington, D.C. and territories.