By Elaine Haney

Editor’s note: Elaine Haney is the executive director of Emerge Vermont.

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. 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. The 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. 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,” Gulick said.

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,” she said.

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,” Deuso said.

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.

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, visit: EmergeVt.org.