Emerge Vermont alums take big wins in August primary

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-percent 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.

“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.

Emerge Vermont has made a name for itself for the campaign training it provides and the close-knit support network maintained by the women who train in the program.

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: “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, said, “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.”

Women who went through Emerge Vermont training also made up 43 percent of all women candidates from all parties on the primary ballot.

Since Emerge Vermont launched in 2013, the program has trained over 200 women in their Signature Training Program and dozens more in shorter trainings. Prior to the Tuesday, July 13, primary, 52 percent 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 percent have won.

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. For more information, please visit emergevt.org.

(Elaine Haney is executive director of Emerge Vermont.)