Becca Balint
Rebecca A. Balint (/ˈbælɪnt/ BAL-int; born May 4, 1968) is an American politician who is a member of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont's at-large congressional district as a member of the Democratic Party. She served as a member of the Vermont Senate from Windham County from 2015 to 2023, as majority leader from 2017 to 2021, and as president pro tempore from 2021 to 2023.
Becca Balint | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's at-large district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Welch |
| President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate | |
| In office January 6, 2021 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Tim Ashe |
| Succeeded by | Philip Baruth |
| Majority Leader of the Vermont Senate | |
| In office January 6, 2017 – January 6, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Philip Baruth |
| Succeeded by | Alison H. Clarkson |
| Member of the Vermont Senate from the Windham district | |
| In office January 7, 2015 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Galbraith |
| Succeeded by | Wendy Harrison Nader Hashim |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 4, 1968 Heidelberg, West Germany (now Germany) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Wohl |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Barnard College Smith College (BA) Harvard University (MEd) University of Massachusetts, Amherst (MA) |
| Website | House website |
Balint was born in Heidelberg, West Germany, and raised in Peekskill, New York. She was educated at Walter Panas High School, Smith College, Harvard University, and University of Massachusetts Amherst. She moved to Vermont in 1994, and worked as a teacher, rock-climbing instructor, and columnist for the Brattleboro Reformer, and was active in local politics. Balint was elected to the State Senate in 2014, becoming the first openly acknowledged lesbian to serve there. She was selected to serve as majority leader and later elected president pro tempore, the first woman and openly LGBT person to do so in Vermont.
Balint was elected to the U.S. House in the 2022 election. She is the first woman and openly LGBT person to represent Vermont in Congress. This was also a national milestone, as Vermont was the only state that had not previously elected a woman to Congress.