History-making primary for Emerge Vermont alums

  • Aug 15, 2024
  • Elaine Haney

Emerge Vermont, the state’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, saw big wins up and down the ballot in this week’s primary election. The organization had 48 alums and trainees on the ballot with 46 wins and a 96% win rate. Along with all incumbents winning their races, several first-time candidates saw victory and one made history.

Alum Esther Charlestin became the first Black woman in Vermont history (and only the second in the country) to win a major party nomination for governor. Alums Congresswoman Becca Balint, Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, and Attorney General Charity Clark all ran in uncontested primary races.

Alums and trainees of Emerge Vermont were on the ballot for offices at every level, from the Legislature to Governor to Congress. “Emerge Vermont alums were once again a dominant force on the primary ballot, and we are thrilled that so many of them have succeeded,” said Elaine Haney, executive director of Emerge Vermont. “Some of them had tough races, and their success speaks to the strength of the network of the women who train with us. Emerge Vermont women support each other. We’re incredibly proud of these candidates and look forward to their success in the general election.”

The success of so many women candidates in Vermont stems from a strong support network provided by the alums of Emerge Vermont, and continues a statewide trend of increasing women’s representation in government, the opposite of a recent national trend that shows fewer women running for office this election cycle.

“More women are winning when running for office in Vermont 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.”

Emerge Vermont has made a name for itself not just for the comprehensive and effective campaign training it provides, but also for the close-knit support network maintained by the women who train in the program. “Our program participants run for office, but they also serve as staff on scores of campaigns across the state, contribute to campaigns, and turn out in droves to volunteer for each other,” said Haney. “A campaign is a team effort and our alums exemplify that better than anyone.”

Incumbent Senator Martine Larocque Gulick ran in the hotly contested Chittenden-Central Senate district race. She came out as the top vote-getter and attributes her win to the campaign support she received. “While I’ve been campaigning the past few months, Emerge kept coming up in conversations, interviews, and forums. When asked about my motivation to run, I couldn’t help but mention the incredible training and support I’ve had from Emerge Vermont. It was what launched me onto a path of leadership and service, and I am ever grateful to this incredible organization.”

First-time candidate Leanne Harple of Glover won her primary race for the Orleans-4 seat being vacated by Rep. Katherine Sims, herself an alum who won her own primary race for the open Orleans Senate seat. Harple, who participated in an Emerge Vermont bootcamp earlier this summer, received similar support from the Emerge network. “Emerge invited me into a supportive network of women helping women. Emerge alums helped me by offering me political contributions, providing me with volunteer hours canvassing in my district and cheering me on throughout a tough campaign. When I won my primary, it felt like it was not only a win for me, but a win for women.”

A national organization, Emerge alums support each other across state lines too. Erica Deuso is an Emerge Pennsylvania alum who was vacationing in the Northeast Kingdom during the primary week and spent part of her time campaigning with Emerge Vermont alum candidates. “As an Emerge PA alum and newly elected board member, I am committed to supporting women leaders who will bring positive change to their communities, no matter where they live. That’s why I chose to dedicate part of my vacation to helping Emerge VT alums win their primary races—because I believe in the power of women in politics and wanted to contribute to their success on the ground.”

The Emerge Vermont alums who won primary races on Tuesday are:

 

Candidate Office District Emerge Class
Alyssa Black* State Representative Chittenden-24 2020
Anne Watson* State Senator Washington County 2017
Becca Balint* U.S. Representative 2014
Becca White* State Senator Windham 2016
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
Esther Charlestin Governor 2022
Gayle Pezzo State Representative Chittenden-20 2024
Jana Brown* State Representative Chittenden-1 2018
Jill Krowinski* State Representative Chittenden-16 Former ED
Josie Leavitt* State Representative Grand Isle-Chittenden 2024
Julia Andrews* State Representative Chittenden-25 2022
Karen Dolan* State Representative Chittenden-22 2020
Kate Lalley* State Representative Chittenden-6 2020
Katherine Sims State Senator Orleans 2016
Kathleen James* State Representative Bennington-4 2018
Kate Nugent* State Representative Chittenden-10 2021
Kesha Ram Hinsdale* State Senator Chittenden-SE Co-founder
Leanne Harple State Representative Orleans-4 2024
Leslie Goldman* State Representative Windham-3 2020
Lonnie Poland State Representative Chittenden-Franklin 2024
Mari Cordes* State Representative Addison-4 2018
Marsha Cassel State Senator Rutland 2024
Martine Larocque 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
Rey Garofano* State Representative Chittenden-23 2022
Ruth Hardy* State Senator Addison County Former ED
Sarah Copeland Hanzas* Secretary of State 2022
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
*Incumbent

The above winners are alums of Emerge Vermont’s Signature Training program. Another group of nine women candidates who won their primaries participated in other trainings Emerge Vermont offers. They are all incumbents:

  • Angela Arsenault, House, Chittenden-2
  • Chea Evans, House, Chittenden-5
  • Dara Torre, House, Washington-2
  • Edye Graning, House, Chittenden-3
  • Ela Chapin, House, Washington-5
  • Kate McCann, House, Washington-4
  • Leonora Dodge, House, Chittenden-23
  • Rebecca Holcombe, House, Windsor-Orange-2
  • Wendy Harrison, Senate, Windham County

Wins experienced by 46 of the 48 Emerge Vermont trained women on the primary ballot resulted in a 96% overall win rate. Emerge Vermont trained women also made up 43% of all women 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 trained over 200 women in their Signature Training Program and dozens more in shorter trainings. Prior to Tuesday’s primary, 52% 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 Congresswoman Becca Balint, Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, Attorney General Charity Clark, and Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski.

Nationally, Emerge has trained more than 6,000 alums since 2002—including Vice President Kamala Harris, the organization’s original alum—and currently has more than 1,200 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.

 

For more information, please visit www.emergevt.org.

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