United States: A mere ten days after Vermont voters dismantled the Democratic supermajority in the state Senate, the caucus of Senate Democrats convened on Saturday to deliberate over their electoral defeats and carve out a strategic pathway for the 2025 legislative session. During the gathering, they decided to preserve one prominent leader while replacing another.
The Statehouse meeting marked the first congregation of Democratic senators-elect since what Sen. Becca White, D-Windsor, described as “an extraordinarily grueling and disheartening election evening.” Republican challengers secured six Senate seats, unseated four Democratic incumbents, and reshaped the partisan equilibrium to 17 Democrats and 13 Republicans—marking the slimmest Democratic margin in nearly 25 years, according to reports by vtdigger.org.
Recognizing the need for recalibration, the caucus opted to remove the incumbent majority leader, Sen. Alison Clarkson, D-Windsor, who had held the role for four years. They elected Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D/P-Chittenden Southeast, as her successor.
All decisions on Saturday were cast via secret ballot. Ram Hinsdale clinched the majority leader position with a 9-7 vote, with one abstention.
In advocating for Ram Hinsdale, Sen. Andrew Perchlik, D/P-Washington, emphasized a sentiment resonating throughout the room—that Vermont Democrats faltered in articulating their message to the electorate and effectively countering Republican critiques, particularly from Gov. Phil Scott.
“I don’t believe there is anyone here more adept at communication and messaging than Sen. Ram Hinsdale,” Perchlik asserted, as per vtdigger.org.
Acknowledging critiques, Perchlik remarked, “Yes, she has been labeled as overly ambitious and a high achiever, even by myself. Yet, in the context of selecting a political leader to guide a legislative caucus, these traits transform into invaluable assets.”
With her ascension to the majority leader role, Ram Hinsdale is likely to relinquish her current chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs. This expectation aligns with a tradition dating back to 1997, designed to prevent caucus leaders from consolidating excessive power by chairing policy committees simultaneously.
In a bold move, Ram Hinsdale attempted to overturn this precedent during Saturday’s caucus. She proposed an internal rule change allowing caucus leaders to simultaneously serve as committee chairs. Urging her colleagues to endorse the motion, she framed the argument as one of logistical pragmatism.
“We have 17 caucus members,” Ram Hinsdale explained. “After accounting for newly elected members and leadership roles, only 11 Democrats remain to fill committee leadership positions. With 11 committees to oversee, maintaining the tradition risks empowering members from the opposing party to exert undue influence over our legislative priorities,” according to reports by vtdigger.org.
Despite her arguments, the motion was narrowly defeated in a 9-6 vote, with two abstentions.
Meanwhile, Democrats opted for continuity at the Senate’s helm. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth, D/P-Chittenden Central, faced no internal opposition to renomination to his leadership post. However, the vote was not unanimous—15 senators supported Baruth, while two abstained.
Baruth acknowledged the tight margins, cautioning the caucus about the fragile balance of power. “A 15-2 vote on the floor, with our current numbers, could result in a stalemate,” he warned, highlighting that a tie vote would place Republican Lt. Gov.-elect John Rodgers in the position of casting the decisive vote.
The caucus also elected new leadership in other key roles. Sen. Becca White was chosen as the new whip, garnering 14 votes, while Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden Southeast, was nominated to join the influential Committee on Committees. Both nominations are subject to confirmation by the full Senate in January.
In closing, senators shared their legislative aspirations, with property tax reform and restructuring education finance emerging as dominant themes. Baruth characterized Vermont’s property tax dilemma as an “unfolding crisis” and proposed an unprecedented approach—devoting an entire week of committee sessions to hear solutions directly from Gov. Scott’s administration, as per vtdigger.org.
“The electorate’s message was clear—they want the governor’s proposals prioritized,” Baruth stated. “Collaboration will be paramount during this session. No one will leave without a tax plan bearing the governor’s approval.”