To the editor: Balint runs for U.S. House for Vermont

In politics, there are two types of candidates: those who run to win and those who run to work. Over the last 16 years, Vermonters have been lucky to have a representative in the U.S. House who knows the real goal of running isn’t winning, but working every day on behalf of Vermonters. If we want that to continue, the clear choice for the U.S. House in 2022 is Becca Balint.

Becca’s record in the Vermont Senate makes it clear that she understands her constituents and – equally importantly – her constituents understand her. They know she is honest and that she will keep her word. They know that even when they might disagree, they can trust her decisions are always on the side of making life better for Vermonters – not advancing her own career.  And that is precisely what all Vermonters deserve to see in our lone U.S. House member. None of us is going to agree with our representative on every single issue or every single vote. But we can elect someone who is clear about what they stand for, what drives them, and how they will represent us.

Vermonters also deserve a representative who understands that their work in Washington is just half of the job. Just as important as the votes she casts, hearings she attends, meetings she takes or donations she accepts will be the work she does across Vermont.

I have spent over a decade and a half working for Vermont’s congressional delegation, with more than half of those years spent here in Vermont. I know that a good member puts time and resources into their state offices. They hire staff who work hard each and every day on behalf of Vermonters. They prioritize going out into communities to listen to what people need and find ways to help; carefully recording callers’ opinions on policy issues and helping them navigate complicated federal programs and bureaucracy; and highlighting stories of Vermonters doing good in their communities, spreading hope in challenging times.

I know first-hand that “Not me. Us.” is what being a member of Vermont’s congressional delegation is really all about. And in this race, I am confident that Becca isn’t running for Becca.  She is running for us.

Kathryn Becker Van Haste
Shelburne