Vermont state Sen. Becca Balint will turn out to be the primary lady and first LGBTQ particular person to symbolize the state in Congress after profitable the election for Vermont’s one House seat.

Wilson Ring/AP

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Wilson Ring/AP

Vermont state Sen. Becca Balint will turn out to be the primary lady and first LGBTQ particular person to symbolize the state in Congress after profitable the election for Vermont’s one House seat.

Wilson Ring/AP

Follow live updates and results from Election Day 2022 here.

All 50 states within the U.S. have now despatched a lady to symbolize them in Congress.

Vermont was the final state to have by no means elected a lady to Washington, however on Tuesday, state Sen. Becca Balint received the state’s lone seat within the House of Representatives. She was closely favored to beat out Republican Liam Madden and can turn out to be the primary lady and the primary brazenly LGBTQ particular person to symbolize the state.

In an interview with NPR the week earlier than Election Day, Balint stated the load of constructing historical past was beginning to hit her.

“I definitely have heard from a lot of constituents how they’re excited to be sending a woman to Congress for the first time, to be sending an openly gay person,” Balint stated.

“Representation absolutely matters … just being able to picture yourself in that role is important,” she stated.

Balint stated one of many causes that she held again from working for workplace at first was as a result of she could not image herself doing it as an brazenly homosexual particular person.

“I didn’t have any role models … it was not something that felt possible to me. So I’m creating that sense of possibility for my constituents and their kids and grandkids and that is so exciting to me,” Balint stated.

Balint is taking up the seat beforehand held by Rep. Peter Welch, a Democrat who was elected Tuesday night time to symbolize Vermont within the Senate, changing long-serving Sen. Patrick Leahy. Leahy, 82, was first elected to the Senate in 1974 and did not search reelection this yr.