The over-riding question is: Will the Democrats apparent move towards the Left in their primaries be accepted by Independent and Moderate voters, as well as Middle America in the general elections in November?
As a registered Independent, anti-Trump voter, who has never voted Republican, I'm not at all convinced that it is. I believe that the Democrats Left wing hijacking the party, is the wrong response to the s Right wing take-over of the GOP. Both have unfortunately, put ideology before logic & pragmatism. It's a wrong headed strategy by the Democrats to win the short term battle, only to lose the lose the war in November.
5
I never thought I'd see the day when Vermont Democrats would nominate a utility company CEO for governor.
8
Just look at this person, she expects to be taken seriously?
In mainstream America?
She has a chance but only in San Francisco and maybe Seattle. What an utter distraction.
9
Yes she does, just like you expect us to take you and your obnoxious post seriously. Everyone expects to be taken seriously and should be shown that courtesy unless the content of their characters indicates otherwise. A whole lot of people took Donald Trump seriously for reasons known only to God, despite the fact that he was a bankrupt, bigoted, foolhardy blowhard with the intelligence and attention span of a gnat and five children whose diapers he took pride in never changing when they were infants, a thankless job he left to the wife of the moment. Ms. Hallquist, on the other hand, has headed a successful power company, is articulate and appears willing to learn and to work with others, and on a personal front has apparently been with the same partner since 1976, with whom she has three children whose diapers she probably changed every once in a while. So yes, I’m going to take her seriously until she gives me a solid reason not to. Donald’s already given me plenty.
6
I live in Vermont. Apparently you’ve never been here! You can’t pick where you’re born, but, in AMERICA (the one I believe in), you can pick where you live! Be a citizen of the world.
2
Christine Hallquist, more of the same F-35 fighter jet "Democrats" doing their thing. Ms. Hallquist admitted she voted for Republican Phil Scott in 2016 but now strangely runs on a policy platform she rejected less than 2 years ago. A policy platform nearly identical to that of the disastrous former Democratic Party governor, Peter Shumlin, and his designated successor, Sue Mintner, who lost to Phil Scott.
This independent who used to vote Democrat in nearly every election expects to never vote Democrat at the local level in Vermont again. Despite all the talk, most are "Chamber of Commerce" Democrats and tools for Lockheed-Martin and the budget-busting F-35 fighter jet. Along with Patrick Leahy, Bernie Sanders, etc., Hallquist stands for the destruction of health and home values of Vermont's most vulnerable, including the working poor, the elderly, and immigrant refugees in Winooski, South Burlington, Colchester, etc.
Hallquist says she wants universal health care, even after Democrat Peter Shumlin flushed $200 million of real taxpayer dollars down the toilet in an ill-fated exploration of universal health care that clearly was not feasible from the beginning.
Hallquist stands with most of the rest of the Vermont Democrats in supporting anti-environment, anti-zoning, anti-open space policies and total give-aways to industrial energy campaign donors.
At the end of the day, it is all about the policies the candidate supports.
3
None of this would be an issue if only the religious would live and let live!
2
When this paper uses the term "progressive" to characterize a candidates politics does anyone find this confusing.Progressive is so positive.Hmmm republicans are so ?? "regressive" ? Could we frame this in a more pejorative way. Please bring back Walter Cronkite-we got good news without the spin.
4
I look at that photo and see a man in a dress. A great candidate, one I would vote for if a resident of Vermont, one who I would be glad to have as a neighbor or friend, to share morning coffee with while discussing the news of the day.
But this is a man. A human male. Something is going on with him inside, I understand and am compassionate. He feels like a woman, he senses that he was supposed to be a woman, but by any rational measure he is a man.
I hope and believe that some day science will out and we will fully understand this phenomenon, but to say that this man is a woman, an adult human female person, strains every fiber of intellectual credulity.
20
Congratulations to Christine Hallquist! And to Vermont voters for voting for the best candidate. Who wouldn't want a leader and a statesperson like Christine, who talks about healing? May Christine inspire us to reconnect with each other, with ourselves, and with other citizens to work together for the betterment of all, but esp. the disenfranchised, the widow, the orphan, and those who have been dispossessed.
5
This speaks well for the people of Vermont. They chose a woman who is seemingly qualified both professionally and personally to govern with intelligence, competence, and ethics. What more can one ask of one's candidate? I would only hope that the other 49 states would follow Vermont's lead.
This labeling has got to stop. Who cares if an individual is gay or transgender, black or brown-skinned, Muslim, agnostic, or atheist? In the big scheme of life it is about the the person's character, her or his moral compass, and a viable and loving soul. My best to Ms Hallquist, and thank you for defining humanity as it should be.
8
@Kathy Lollock, you are right, nobody cares about any of those factors. What they do care about are the actual policies someone supports or does not support. And, speaking as a Vermont voter, who has been here since the days of Howard Dean (and as someone who used to vote Democrat in nearly every election), Christine Hallquist is a disaster from a policy perspective.
National press is not interested in fact that nearly all of Vermont's Democratic Party, via their F-35 basing fanaticism, supports the destruction of health and home values for the most vulnerable Vermonters, including working poor, the elderly, immigrant refugees, etc. Hallquist joins fake "progressives" like Bernie Sanders in putting military Keynesianism of F35 fighter jet uber alles (you won't hear Bernie talk about this at his rallies).
National press not interested in fact that Hallquist wants universal health care, even after prior Democratic Party Governor Peter Shumlin threw $200 million of real tax dollars down toilet in ill-fated exploration of universal health care that clearly was not feasible from beginning.
National press not interested in Hallquist & VT Democratic Party's anti-environment, anti-zoning, anti-open space policies. They have prioritized give aways to industrial energy campaign donors and weakened Vermont's Act 250 land use planning law & Act 200 zoning promotion law in process.
There is nothing wrong with Hallquist's identity but everything wrong with policies she supports.
3
Very nice. Nominate and elect people based on their abilities and those "values" that apply to the best interest of society at large. Way to go Vermont!
6
I just heard her interviewed on CNN (Don Lemon). She is a breath of fresh air. Although Vermont is not my state, I sent a contribution to her campaign. I want her voice to find a platform.
5
@Mark Barden - Thank you. I live in Vermont and I appreciate your gesture.
Come and visit some time, we would love to have you here.
3
Congrats, Vermont. And here in Kansas, we are regressing. The very Deplorable Kobach is now the official GOP candidate for Governor. Told you so, many times. Unless there is a bombshell about his antics, with tapes, HE WILL be the next Governor. A protege of Brownback, and Trump. You can't get much worse than that. Just give up on Kansas, Dems. You truly can't fix stupid. Stop wasting money and effort in the attempt.
Seriously.
5
Trump/GOP has spread so much hate. Go Transgender! Vote out GOP for living wage; health care and jobs. Ray Sipe
5
“I’m not sure why that plays a part in this — we’re talking about two human beings that are running for an office,” Ms. Billado said, referring to Ms. Hallquist and Mr. Scott. “I think that’s as far as the conversation should go.”
Speaking as a transgender person, everyone who says this, including the people in this comments section, are no different from the people who erased Obama's accomplishment of being the first black president by saying "I don't see color" (white people are the only people who have the luxury of "not seeing color", btw).
Your virtue signaling is backfiring in terms of what transgender people think of you when we hear you say this. It is *extremely* significant that she is the first transgender candidate who has won a primary for governor- please stop pretending that it is not because you think it makes you seem above it all to pretend not to notice her accomplishment.
14
@Debbie Penetration Dear Debbie, Perhaps we aren't 'virtue signalling'. Perhaps we are just really pleased with the policies of our choice. Which doesn't mean we aren't also thrilled with helping that particular glass be broken.
1
@Debbie Penetration I honestly believe this comment from Scott's people is more about them learning a lesson from Bob Marshall's campaign against Danica Roem. She never brought up her gender identity, instead she focused on the issues her constituents cared about. Marshall consistently attacked her gender identity and lost focus on the campaign issues. Post-election polls showed that his lack of focus on real issues was the primary reason he lost. As a trans woman myself, I agree there is no escaping the history that Hallquist is making and to downplay it would be the trans version of white-washing.
1
Good for her! I don’t live in Vermont but I think she’s got some good, common sense initiatives like bringing better internet connectivity to rural areas. Plus she actually has the expertise of running (and revitalizing, it sounds like) a utility company instead of just being an “ideas” person.
5
In the XXI century there is still people who don't understand that the honesty and the quality of a public servant's work and performance is much more important than his/her gender, race, religion or social status.
6
@Armando
Yeah, pretty much the entire base of registered republicans out there fall under that rubric, they seem to care a lot more about what a person is than about their character and ability..80% of registered republicans strongly support Trump /Approve of him, enough said.
1
I will be looking forward to the congratulatory message trump will likely be tweeting about this well deserved victory.
2
The term "identity politics" is a seemingly polite cover for bigotry. You're basically saying that the civil rights of the people you're objecting to hearing about, whether women, disabled, LGBT, minorities, immigrants are not under fire, which is far from the truth. And you're insisting that the conversation turn to things that you are interested in or comfortable with -- you -- who are quite likely a privileged person whose rights are not in question.
4
If she is capable of doing the job well and is dedicated to working for the people of the state of VT, why not?
4
As long as they win and make their communities a better place to live and work, I welcome them.
4
Maybe we needed Trump for his seesaw effect. Maybe we needed to elect an extreme social conservative pulling downward in order to send skyward all the rest of us, including the neglected peoples in America. Either he's the pilot of this plane, or we are. We, all good peoples, have to pull the throttle together in the right direction to get us out of this tailspin.
But remember, the real goal is to let "gains" like a first transgendered political candidate, a first female CEO, a first black US president, pass without notice of gender, ethnicity, race or sexual orientation. Do I really care that a political candidate, or any leader of society, prefers one kind of romantic partner to another, came from one birthplace or another, was born of one sex, then chose another? No I do not. What matters is the content of their soul, the concerns of their heart, the beliefs in their head. Those things are not immediately visible but they certainly are tangible, measurable and essential.
10
@Peggy Rogers
I wouldn't call Trump a social conservative, I would call him a psychotic opportunist using the social conservatives to further his agenda to get power. I can guarantee you, would put my son's life on it, that Trump doesn't believe the gibberish and bile he feeds the evangelical Christians and the like, he is not the least bit religious, his only God is himself, and he doesn't care one way or the other about transgender people, lgbt people in general, unless he can fire up his nasty base by thumping them and promoting "religious freedom". In many ways, that makes him worse than a genuine conservative,at least genuine conservatives believe their ideas are right, Trump only believes what is right for him and his "brand".
6
@Peggy Rogers. Agree with the long view, but Trump is not "an extreme social conservative".
He just plays one on TV.
1
ever since our last president I'm leery of voting in anyone who campaigns on identity politics. any critic of his was immediately deemed a possible racist and their motives always questioned. It makes the candidate nearly immune to criticism, which is dangerous. All politicians need to be fair game, the decisions they're making have real consequences on our lives. I'd just say to the honorable people of Vermont, which ever way you vote, treat this candidate as you would any other and not with kid gloves.
8
@doublescheckem - She isn't campaigning on identity politics. The media is playing up the fact that she's transgender but she isn't.
1
@doublescheckem We did.
1
I’m sure you meant to write, “any critic of HERS”. She’s a woman. She/her/hers.
1
Did anyone notice that there was no mention made of Ms Hallquist's political views? That's because she is quite progressive on economic issues and, of course, we know that the Times' mission, like that of the centrist Dem party bosses, is to stamp out any economic progressivism>
Anyway, here is some of her platform
Connect every home and business in Vermont with fiber optic cable utilizing proven rural cooperative models
Raise the minimum hourly wage to $15 while coupling this increase with providing increased employment to young people and growing our rural job market
Pass paid family and medical leave insurance so Vermonters don't have to choose between caring for family members and their job security
Invest in programs for displaced workers, focusing on job retraining for current and future job markets
Address the property tax issue and take responsibility for separating this from education funding - these two issues should not be pitted against each other
Protect collective bargaining and worker rights
Stand up to the negative headwinds from Washington DC to ensure Vermont workers' rights remain strong
Recognize that unions are crucial to the balance of power and that good union relationships depend on good, collaborative, proactive, leadership
10
@Ed Watters, people in Vermont know very well what her policies are. The other 3 primary candidates, who, together, took more votes than Hallquist, were all against the outrageous and disgusting F-35 fighter jet basing in Vermont's most densely populated area, including its negative impact on the health and home values of Vermont's most vulnerable.
Hallquist is the "Chamber of Commerce" pro-F-35 Democrat who, in 2016, voted for the very Republican governor she is now running against. The national press is unfortunately not interested in the real issues in Vermont.
2
@Ed Watters You are right Ed I also would vote for that platform. I am sure that it is better in all ways then trumps CHAOS everywhere and war with Iran platform.
1
Interesting election, Governor Scott doesn't seem to be from the Trump end of the party, likely he is considered a "RINO" by the hard right loons of Trump nation. What will be interesting is if to drum up support from the conservatives angry about gun control, if the GOP pacs and such will start with the anti trans ads to fire them up, the usual inflammatory stuff about bathrooms and 'radical agenda' and whatnot, and how Vermont responds to that.
1
Congratulations Ms. Hallquist! My family (included grandparents) wishes you the VERY BEST!
4
Vermont has a way of churning out (dairy pun intended) amazing politicians. Ms. Hallquist seems very cool.
4
The constant attention focused on one's "identity" - whether trans with Ms. Hallquist, black with Omarosa, female with respect to so many candidates - is misplaced and counterproductive. The focus should be exclusively - and I do mean exclusively - on ideas. What does the candidate propose to do with respect to the economy, education, foreign affairs, etc. The pigment of one's skin or the state of one's genitalia is - and should be - irrelevant.
Please, NYT, help us move past these distractions. They are killing this country.
14
Gender is of no issue as long as the candidate has ideas that reflect what the community wants and can put them in place! The Times are changing !!!!
3
@kickerfrau It wouldn't be an issue if this person were actually a woman, but he's not. I know in bizarro world where there is no difference between men and women and there are 70 or more genders, gender matters. Plenty of Republican women are running for Congress. Are you supporting the gender dysphoria in politics or women running in politics?
7
@rc05689 - I think most people support a candidate who shares their values.
1
Here is my concern: If the Democrats keep playing identity politics, they will continue to push working class, White voters out of the Party. We sort of saw the result of that in 2016 - and we are left with this semi-racist, pseudo-dictator. The real problem, is as the Republicans drift more and more Right what does that foretell of the future. We've already seen that Trumps statement that "he could shoot someone on Madison Ave and his voters would stick with him" is, in fact true - to the tune of almost 30% of the population! So what does that mean if and when an actually intelligent, malevolent, racist, antisemitic, individual has the opportunity?
7
If people picked her because she is transgender, you would be right. But what seems to be increasingly true of the Left, is that they pick candidates like Christine because they like her platform and simply don’t care whether she is transgender or not.
5
Last I checked, Christine Hallquist is a white, working-class American and a successful entrepreneur, and she's running for a state seat.
It's a shame that people need to reduce her success to "identity politics," but I suspect the majority of those who do will be Republicans trying to drum up fear against her and any other representatives of a non-dominant culture.
The GOP is hoping to ride Trump to an extended run of white males in power. But like the recent coal revival, it will not last as the rest of the world changes around them.
5
@JF. Hallquist's candidacy is not identity politics. She's not running to be a trans activist as such. Her status is simply a newsworthy fact that she appears to be treating as simply a matter of fact, not a banner to march behind.
You want to see today's identity politics, take a look at the white-supremacy ugliness of Trump's Republican cult.
1
"...speeding up internet access, which lags in some rural parts of the state,... a key campaign pledge. Previous governors have made similar promises,..."
That would be eighteen years of governors' promises now, at least -- Dean, Douglas, Shumlin, Scott. Broadband coverage outside of a couple municipal centers is awful -- I have two guys at the end of the road waving semaphore flags, and they take long lunch breaks. Not holding my breath.
Meanwhile, we'll see if the single-issue gun-rights folks will actually bestir themselves and get out, hold their noses and vote for Phil Scott rather than let the governor's office go to a "democrat prevert."
1
What would be more impressive would be Vermont, the whitest state in America, electing a person of color.
9
@Lou
We would have to find one first. Vermont has free and open borders, but no sense of African American community. I have a friend who is Afro American, and i tried to interest him in moving here. We was reluctant to do so, because his two school age children would almost never have opportunity for social contact with other Afro Americans.
3
Bravo! May she win.
2
Another off-balance tax and spend candidate...
7
@Wayside Zebra No, she is not a republican.
3
Too much fuss !
... and fuss only serves to raise more fuss.
If this PERSON has been successful and has potential be good for the nation, what does gender/ sexual orientation/ etc etc matter?
Am I supposed to feel inadequate as a man (again) for not being as obsessed and stirred up about gender issues as other, perhaps more progressive groups?
7
@iain mackenzie. You and other critics tip your biases when you make such an effort to deny the simple fact that her status is newsworthy, just as it's still newsworthy when any candidates who aren't white males do well. A newsworthy fact should not dominate the news, and this fact did not dominate this article.
3
@iain mackenzie
You aren't stirred up by issues of gender and sexuality because your gender and your sexuality have dominated most things for a long, long time, so to you it doesn't matter because it is something not evident to you (someone who has not faced discrimination often can't comprehend what other people face, they assume the way they are treated is how everyone is treated). All you need to do is look at who is running the political establishment in most countries, that despite the very many for example leaders who have been women, they represent a tiny fraction of all political leaders, if you look at congress and the senate in the US, 50% of the population is women, and I think less than 10% of congress is women, same with other bodies.
2
I wish Christine Hallquist love, peace, and victory!
Beautiful!!
From your neighbor.
Long Island, NY.
2
But what are his/her/their policies??
Diversity should be the dessert, not the entree.
14
My fellow Liberals of the PC neo Marxist persuasion need to grasp that this has nothing to do with "equality." Equality is neither furthered nor hindered here, unless the vote was based on a pro trans bias, then it harms equality. This is because there are so few transgendered persons running for office that they don't constitute a sample large enough to contain a comparable set of individuals to the non-trans set. You cannot therefore gauge if comparatively qualified persons are denied access to office. Yes part of the lesson is that the hoopla is misplaced cheer leading masquerading as analysis.
8
Wishing her well and hoping that Ms. Hallquist will win recognition for her work in the Vermont legislature, not for just being ' the first transgender person ' elected to that legislative body. (wife )
@richard : Left out the words " If she is elected as governor ..." ( wife )
1
May the best candidate win. I doubt Vermont Democrats chose her for diversity.
2
@Avi: they chose HIM for "political correctness" and that is very obvious from the article and the comments.
I pity the other candidates, not having a PC "hook" and merely their talent and drive. Not enough today in the PC Democratic Party!
4
Ethan got over 4,000 votes. Good for him for stepping up to the plate!
5
All the praise for this accomplishment and candidate aside, seems to me if you are going to fight a battle (and these elections are battles) you send in your troops most likely to win. With apologies to the transgender community, this is not it. The candidate will only further polarize an already polarized electorate and loose. And, thanks to the press, her opponent doesn't even have to bring the transgender topic up. It will be there, the proverbial elephant in the room. Sorry.
12
@Jimmy. It seems to be the elephant in YOUR room. Vermont's Democrats nominated a qualified candidate who happens to be transgender, and why do you presume that the "topic" will be brought up?
Did you even read the article, especially the closing quote from the Republican official?
3
@Jimmy - Happily Vermont isn't like that. Most of the state is very progressive and has been for a long time.
1
Please can I be given 30s to adjust to the surprise without being called a bigot?
Ok, this is quite a surprise, but that passed she is a candidate like any other that deserves respect just like any other. I am all for the democrats so I wish her Godspeed in her run for governor!
5
Why gender is even a topic for discussion? Can’t we all get along as humans without violating privacies? Otherwise, we loose focus on important issues that matter most such as as health, education, economy and environment.
4
I hope readers will hit the "documentary" link and look at the clips of "Denial".
If you are concerned about our electrical grid and it's vulnerability, as I am, you will get a great look at it.
Transgender aside, Ms. Hallquist can be a national voice and leader on the issue.
2
This is the greatest possible rebuke to Trump's effort to divide and conquer by inciting the worst in the worst among us.
But Hallquist will win because she is a brilliant administrator and technical innovator, her ideas about creating a "smart grid" would go far to help solve the global warming crisis.
A profile in courage— because it takes unusual guts to put yourself out there for any candidate today, but doubly so for a trans person— and for taking on powerful vested interests like commercial electric utilities.
4
Honestly, I don't care what someone looks like, but I do care how they act and what they believe in when it comes to politics.
8
You could have said 'Christine Hallquist, a qualified candidate wins nomination'
Except you made this a liberal issues win again.
Most of us could not care about gender, sexual orientation or any such liberal favorite topics.
All people really care about is, can this person do the job? this person seems to be able to. That is what you should focus on.
Right now you made her a win for LGBT, alienating any one who has a problem with that small segment of the population.
13
Three cheers and congratulations to Christine Hallquist and the people of Vermont. Perhaps there still is hope for our country. Folks the upcoming midterm elections are most important and a major step in getting Trump, Pence and the ultraconservative Republicans out of Washington.
5
This could be interesting. Hallquist has a unique perspective to bring to the office.
You don't go through what she did without developing a good idea of who you really are. A country still struggling with gender equality can use someone with experience on both sides of the divide. How many people did not vote for Hillary Clinton because they couldn't accept a woman as president?
On the other hand, it's disturbing to realize how much of the attention Hallquist is getting is because of the identity issue and the barrier-breaking, rather than the content of her policy proposals and her competence for the job. That should matter more than the pronouns and adjectives used to describe her identity.
We still have a long way to go...
8
The Times and centrist Dems rightly champion victories in the realm of social issue progressivism - but they offer nothing but visions of ominous consequences when discussing economic progressivism.
The term "pro-business liberalism" is useful in describing this phenomenon. The Democratic party bosses have adopted the so-called "third way" ideology which demands that the party stick to the center-right on economic issues but can freely go left on social issues, so pro-business liberal will be portraying themselves as liberals, despite their economic conservatism, and the Democratic media will follow suit.
4
What difference does her body make in her ability to govern? In a way, the fact that she changed it shows a lot of spunk and the ability to achieve goals. Congrats...Christine.
3
Theses days even the slightest morsel of good news helps me get through the day, and this is good news. I hope she wins.
2
The article should have mentioned the other candidates in the Democratic pool. Not to take anything away but honestly, the competition was laughable.
9
This is a great historic milestone, but unfortunately, I don't think Ms. Hallquist is going to be the first transgender governor. If the incumbent was widely disliked, if he was as divisive as Trump, or if the Republican candidate wasn't incumbent, then I think she would have a good chance. As it is though, Vermont does tend to re-elect its governors, and he implemented gun control, so he's not a standard GOP guy.
Still, it is a good sign of things to come, that maybe soon enough we will have our first elected transgender mayor, governor, senator, and so on.
4
@Dan Stackhouse - Scott is well liked but he hasn't been that great as governor and the fact that he takes money from the Koch brothers is not going down well here in Vermont.
1
What's the obsession with people's sexuality? I'm tired of identity politics. Elect people who know what they're doing and have the energy and drive to actually do something to make this world better. I hope Ms. Hallquist is going to be a worthy governor and I'd like to see some coverage about that. It's just as wrong to vote for someone simply because they're transgender as it would be to vote for someone simply because they're a white male. Enough.
7
@LibertyNY You have to understand, the "third way" Democratic party bosses have no intention of enacting popular economic policy, fearful that it will anger their corporate benefactors.
So they have to use something to appeal to the masses, and since their corporate owners don't care if they are liberal on social issues, they've chosen identity politics to increase their electoral prospects, just as the Republicans use abortion and God.
It is extremely doubtful that the Dem or Repub party bosses have any real concern for gender equality, the fate of fetuses or God, but those are the only cards they have left to play, since they have no intention of giving the public what it wants on the economic side.
2
@LibertyNY Gender and sexuality are two different things. I don't recall reading or hearing anything about her sexuality.
2
@LibertyNY, the fact that you equated Hallquist's gender identity with sexuality is Reason No. 1 why identity matters (hint: gender and sexuality are completely different things). Perhaps if people were more open to explaining and LISTENING to each other about issues like identity and how important it is to have representation of minority groups in government, people would be less inclined to make such ignorant proclamations.
3
Bodies have genders, consciousness does not. The confusions about this issue (and the question of "identity" in general) have not been properly addressed.
8
Why is gender important to you?
2
Congratulations Ms. Hallquist. I did vote for her, not for the fact that she is trans-gender but because she has developed a vision for Vermont, she expressed it clearly and she has the experience in the business world to carry it out. It's not just another republican austerity program where taxes for the wealthy are reduced while our infrastructure continues to crumble, but a plan to improve the infrastructure that will draw new business and new talent to our beautiful state. I wish her well and only hope that her opponent Gov. Scott and his campaign will focus on the issues and not on the politics of personal attack which republicans are so willing and eager to do.
9
You go, girl.
4
I sincerely hope that Ms. Hallquist is less misogynistic & homophobic than many of her so-called supporters. Trans activism has devolved into a male centered movement (which is why trans men are practically invisible compared to trans women) which seeks to erase sex based oppression, denies the right of lesbians to be exclusively attracted to people without male genitalia, and prioritizes the rights & needs of people with a Y chromosome over those of people with two X chromosomes. If Ms. Hallquist rejects the misogyny & homophobia of trans activism, she will have my support.
16
You go ? For the times they are a changing!
2
Transgender was not the news. I saw the headline, went right to the article and celebrated. A Democrat has won!
12
@Jean, it was a Democratic primary so, um, yeah, a Democrat was going to win no matter what.
4
@Jean
Z-o-o-m, right over your head. It's a safe bet a Democrat would win a Democratic primary. So it was all about the old white corporate father/husband who now claims to be a woman.
Congratulations to Ms. Hallquist and to the great state of Vermont. Modest and rural, we have nonetheless led the charge with progressive thinking and will play a major role in restoring sanity and pragmatism to our governments and elected officials. Phil Scott is vulnerable and while I applaud his efforts to bring reasonable gun control measures, his base feels betrayed and he has alienated many with his ideas on labor and education funding. If she can harness the energy and momentum gained yesterday into a spirited campaign, there is a path to the state house and the history books.
4
@Dave McD, the Brigham decision and Act 60 need to be repealed and education funding returned to local jurisdictions. It was well-intentioned decision by VT Supreme Court 20 years ago but has played out disastrously. Rural areas have continued to see loss of population; and Brigham is now being used, contrary to its intent and language of VT Supreme Court, to further inequities between school districts. For example, outgoing VT Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe used Brigham as excuse to deny Burlington its own funds from "PILOT" program (payment in lieu of taxes) and undermine Burlington paying for the high needs demographics of lower income students, ESL students, refugee students, etc. Most Vermont politicians admit they have no idea how the Act 60 funding formula works and that only 2 or 3 people in whole state understand it.
Hallquist has no proposals to fix this.
1
Happily voted for Christine yesterday. Because she is talented, skilled, whip-smart, brave, and has some terrific leadership experience. She would make a much better governor than Phil Scott who has done a few good things but not nearly enough.
5
Wonder how many Republicans crossed over to vote for her to guarantee the Republican wins in November?
12
Equal rights for all! Congrats and it’d be best if this victory was irrespective of gender identity.
Might be that it was. Vermont is an impressive place.
3
How did he/she not have equal rights before? Please name one equal right that has been gained or lost since the election?
7
Fantastic news and congratulations to Christine and Vermont!
What is also interesting is how Governor Scott has been damaged politically by supporting some gun control.
He is willing to at least somewhat try to do the right thing even if it costs him politically. Which is admirable.
Contrast that with Bernie who specifically cited political viability for not supporting gun control measures during the debates with Hillary
Vermont also has the 3rd lowest number of Blacks if any state. This may be in part why Bernie does not speak to or for large portions of the Democratic electorate.
4
Historic, true. But can we get back to protecting our Democracy, which involves the civil rights of 100% of the population. This article feels like we’re doing a victory dance after a small win and ignoring the big war.
4
I am so pleased for Christine Hallquist and for all of us too! We have prayed for the day when diversity is a major part of the social/political pie. Each human has an individual perspective to bring to the forum, these differences make a richer culture, a more invigorated dialogue and certainly a common ground that supports everyone. So here we are at a point in our history where women, LBGTQ, Native Americans, African Americans, Asian, Latino and the many other ethnicities that comprise North America are moving up in the ranks. Let's make this a powerful upcoming election and get out and vote! Vote for who has your best interests at heart. Only then can you say we have an actualized democratic nation. The vote is our revolution, without it we are complicit with the people who have no regard for the common good.
3
Ironically, the most controversial thing about her may be her support of a carbon tax.
3
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.
This is not identity politics. This is the cornerstone of our Democratic foundation. Equal, and equal under the law.
10
@Jay Dwight... except that not all "men," especially LGBT, are equal under the law. That is the reason why Hallquist's victory is especially poignant.
2
Sorry to be so cynical but the gubernatorial nomination of someone who is transgender and who made that fact a major part of her campaign, is further proof that for many Americans, including those who elected a professional wrestler as the governor of Minnesota and those who elected a reality TV star as president, politics is not something that should be taken too seriously and that when it comes to voting it’s perfectly fine to vote for someone primarily because they seem interesting and not because of their actual qualifications.
19
@Jay Orchard Her professional work the past 10-15 years speaks for itself and her experience. But her exceptional personal courage since 2015 makes her EXACTLY the type of leader we all need. I can’t imagine what it takes to transition, especially at her age.
6
@Jay Orchard I would suggest you look into her qualifications. They are impressive and for most voters up here that is all that counts.
@Jay Orchard
Except for one thing, Ms. Hallquist didn't run based on being transgender, she ran on her background as a CEO and as a citizen of Vermont. Is being trans part of what she talks about? Sure, but so do other candidates, people talk about their faith, blacks talk about what it means being black in this country, women talk about what it is like to be a woman in this society, and so forth. It is part of who people are, their background, but she is not running as the transgender candidate from what I can tell.
1
Yes, Christine Hallquist shattered a glass ceiling of sorts for transgender women and the liberal media justifiably cheers. But what the Democrats (and the country) need are WINS in the general election and, therefore, candidates that are not easy targets for the prejudices of many American voters along with the inevitable barbs of the right-wing smear machine. Democrats need candidates with broad appeal to win votes and win elections. We need election wins not pyrrhic victories.
4
This is very encouraging news for Vermont, and for the nation as a whole.
2
You simply cannot make this stuff up. The more the Democrat party tilts far left, the more it will continue to alienate middle America and guarantee that it will not win major elections. Kowtowing to the fringe elements of American society is not a winning formula. But it appears that it makes Democrats, liberals and progressives feel better about themselves.
22
What precisely is "far left," here, her having yanked the utilities commission out of bankruptcy or her gender? Because if I were unfortunate enough to be a Trumpist, I'd really stay far far away from issues involving competent administration or sexual behavior.
4
@paul, Vermont is not middle America. This is a state race in a small, rural incubator of liberal ideas. Vermont has never been mainstream and never will.
3
@paul. Did you even read the article?
As a VT voter I didn't even know she was transgender until I heard the news reports last night. And I did follow the candidates and their beliefs. I think many of us are beyond this- we may not understand what drives people to make their personal choices with sexuality and gender, just like it's difficult to comprehend what drives a lot of other personal choices in life (choosing to live far from work requiring long commutes, owning 15 guns, playing video games for 8 hours/day). What matters is whether people are able to get along with others and get their jobs done. She has good ideas and was a CEO.
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@Dan G - One's personal choices tells us a lot about their ability to govern. I would hope Vermont's voters are astute enough to avoid a candidate who is willing to contradict true identity in favor of a foolish dream. No matter what was done to this person's body, the chromosomes in every cell of that body are crying out, "I am a man." How can you trust one who is willing to ignore obvious scientific truth in favor of an emotionally distorted preference?
@Dan G the idea of "identity politics" has become just another tool in the conservative toolbox to drive division. Look at Danika Roem and her campaign. She never brought up her gender identity until after her opponent attacked her for it. She largely avoided that talk even after because it was simple baiting. Get her to mention her gender identity in even one sound bite then attack her for playing identity politics. That's what is driving division. I'm glad to see that Hallquist, like Roem, has chosen to focus on key issues and for the most part avoid any talk of her gender. Sounds like from this article, Scott at least learned something from Roem's opponent's failure to use it as a campaign issue.
@Dan G Well, the point is that more and more people are obviously like you - beyond the petty stuff, and the stuff that isn't petty because too many of us won't let it go. 10 years ago, maybe even 5 or less, being transgender would have disqualified her from this win. There are still places in this country where being transgender can get one killed, just like being black.
As for understanding the prejudice, all one has to do is posit what about the person would generate fear in the ones that exhibit bias. White nationalists tell you what their fears are, but they are secondary fears; what they truly fear is that their "race" actually is not superior and if others are given a fair shake, the others will dominate. And, that domination might result in the same cruelties to them that they have and would perpetrate on the "other".
One thing is definitely true: anyone who discriminates against another human being merely because of race, creed, national origin, etc., has lost the moral right to call themselves a Christian. One more truth: anyone who wouldn't consider a superior candidate for office because that person is transgender is a fool.
You know what? I don't' give a fig what her gender is, does she know the issues that affect her community and its citizens and will she get the job done? Apparently she was the only candidate that was truly qualified. This identity politics has to end it's out of control at this point and this is what is dividing the country. It didn't work for Hillary and it won't work for the Democrats if they keep this up. Give us candidates who are qualified and who will work for ALL and not a select few.
68
@Margo Channing. It's now the Republicans who are mired in identity politics, the ugly, contemptible politics of white supremacy and white nationalism, of tribal evangelical faux Christianity, and me-first greed economics. The ground is moving under their feet.
1
@Margo Channing - Hallquist is a qualified candidate who has the interests of everyone in Vermont in mind.
I voted for Christine Hallquist because she was the best candidate, and I am thrilled that Vermont Democrats have helped her make history. There is so much transphobia and bigotry in this country. Contrast the respectful position of our state Republican party chair with the fear mongering, hatred, and discrimination infesting politics across the United States ("we're talking about two human beings that are running for an office ... I think that's as far as the conversation should go.") and you know why we're willing to endure the tough winters to live in this wonderful, civil, brave little state.
46
@Diana Lawrence
It's bd that every conversation needs to include how racially divided and how bigoted this country is.
You can thank democrats and mainstream media for the identity and hate mongering.
This should be clear to everyone by now.
4
@Charles in service, the mainstream media merely turned on the lights only to find the cupboards full of cockroaches.
@Charles in service - Republicans are the ones trying to deny people equal pay, the right to vote, the right to make their own medical decisions, marry etc.
I'm a Democrat by choice, having switched parties about 30 years ago. I switched because of policy preferences. That's what is important to me, not identity politics and certainly not Guiness-Book-Of-World-Records firsts, like first Eskimo elected Governor of Texas. Particularly in sexual issues, I am quite the opposite of interested in people who once upon a time weren't comfortable in their own skin, and would issue the old-fashioned criticism that the condition is psychological maladjustment, not a matter for surgery and hormones. I really really don't care about that. Tell me instead about social policy, economic policy, fiscal paying-the-bills policy, fair voting, racial equality and fairness in policing and courts, etc.
16
@Garlic Toast, as someone who probably has never had to struggle with identity issues, been subjected to bigotry and bullied due to your identity, you probably don't understand that identity matters. Diversity matters. Representation matters. Greatness in America is about celebrating and appreciating our differences, not about pretending that we are all the same. We are NOT all the same.
1
@Garlic Toast. It's not an "old-fashioned criticism"; it's ignorance about the subject matter.
1
As I write, an NPR interview with Christine Hallquist is just ending. When I first heard of her nomination, my only thought was that Democrats had figured out another way to lose an election. After reading a couple of articles and hearing the interview, it appears to me that Ms. Hallquist is a viable candidate. Congratulations to her and the State of Vermont. Her interview suggested that Vermont would be getting a good governor with her election.
22
@rawebb1
I heard that very interview this morning and was quite impressed on what Ms. Hallquist had to say. I wish my so called "progressive" state of NY would follow suit and not elect another legacy candidate. Cuomo has done some very good things but dismantling the Moreland Commission just didn't seem right to me. He was the third man in the room. Skelos and Silverman, both convicted now. I would love to see a woman as Governor or even Mayor of NYC at least Nassau County has 2 very qualified women who are doing a good job. I just want a candidate who is qualified to run regardless of gender which in this day and age should not be a "thing" to celebrate. Is that too much to ask for?
2
It wouldn't be, if Cynthia Nixon were remotely qualified.
I presently reside in Wisconsin, but am house hunting in Vermont this month (a move driven in large part by family concerns, but I pay a lot of attention to state politics, too). This story makes my weary progressive heart smile. Congratulations, Christine!
18
@a - We look forward to welcoming you.
I know that being transgender and winning this is significant, but - what is also encouraging - she's COMPETENT, and committed to improving her state. She also has - gulp! VALUES and isn't afraid to hide them.
30
I support Civil Rights for every person in this country. I'm still skeptical of transgenderism and I think the party's embrace of this movement, which impacts a tiny constituency, is going to help get more Republicans elected. Revive the equal rights amendment for all women.
43
Why are you skeptical?
5
@M Davis I think that if you take the time to truly understand the transgendered you might be more empathetic to their plight.
1
I support the .005 percent of males who have gender dysphoria and live as women. Biology is real. Women are the only biologically female humans and have legal rights as such. There needs to be a distinction. If suddenly there was no legal distinction between man and the .002 percent of females who have gender dysphoria, what would happen then? Let's also not dismiss the socio cultural experience of being female. Vastly different than being male. There are two genders. A miniscule percentage within those genders have gender dysphoria. #facts #science #womensrightsarehumanrights
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Not much, considering that our laws don't separate the sexes in the way you suggest.
Proud Vermonter here today. But I can’t wait until the the day we read a headline that says BREAKING NEWS “heterosexual white man shows no bias in decision making!”
30
Strange that people vote for transgender candidates but not for those with tattoos, dreadlocks or bouts of depression. So much for the “issues.”
13
@Gary, maybe the votes you are missing are the votes at the record store, the bookstore, the theater, the game field--we buy music and books and tickets from tattooed, dreadlocked and depressed performers all the time. Maybe those same people are not called to be politicians.
3
@Gary - I'd like to think that people are voting for those they feel are competent. I'd vote for someone with tattoos, dreadlocks, or a history of depression if I felt that person was competent, caring, intelligent, and up to the job. I'd vote for a transgender person who had all these attributes as well. A person's appearance, gender identity, or mental health should not be a reason one votes for or against someone; rather, that individual's character and competency for office should be taken into account. Had more Americans taken the time to do that in 2016, we might not have ended up with Donald Trump.
2
This is wonderful news. In today's age of toxic masculinity and rampant racism this lady is uniquely qualified to hold office based on her experience of being the first transgender woman. It almost doesn't even matter what her policies or qualifications are (although I read she has excellent policies). We need more diversity, and this candidate is leading the charge.
4
This could be identity politics at its' peak.
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"I'm a proud and out transgender leader, but I should also tell you, that's all it needs to be," Hallquist said last month on Vermont Public Radio. "You know, people call themselves woman, they call themselves men. I'm a transgender woman. And I know it's different for folks, but you know, if you haven't met someone from Syria, they're different, too."
6
Again, learn from Obama and not Hillary.
Ms. Hallquist may play well in Vt. but if she wants to go further than Vt. in her political career, run as an American and not a transgendered person.
Obama ran as an American and not as a black man, Hillary ran as an identity obsessed female and not as an American.
He served two terms, she was relegated to the dust heap of history. It was one of the main reasons she lost. She really angered men and a heck of a lot of women. She lost a majority of the white women's vote.
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@Paul She lost the vote of white women who continue to support the patriarchy because they benefit from it.
She angered men? Boo-hoo.
2
@Paul I think you're right. Trump didn't win women's votes as much as Clinton lost them.
2
@Paul
Obama also lost the white woman vote, this isn't new in the democratic party. They both ran as proud Americans and they both reflected their own identity into their campaigns. It seems you chose to see her gender as a glaring indictment on her potential presidency.
“Christine’s victory is a defining moment in the movement for trans equality and is especially remarkable given how few out trans elected officials there are at any level of government,” said Annise Parker, the chief executive of the L.G.B.T.Q. Victory Fund, which trains and supports gay and transgender candidates, in a statement on Tuesday evening. “Yet Vermont voters chose Christine not because of her gender identity, but because she is an open and authentic candidate with a long history of service to the state, and who speaks to the issues most important to voters.”
___
Annise Danette Parker (born May 17, 1956) is an American politician who served as the 61st Mayor of Houston, Texas, from 2010 until 2016. She also served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and city controller from 2004 to 2010.[1][2]
Parker was Houston's second female mayor (after Kathy Whitmire), and one of the first openly gay mayors of a major U.S. city, with Houston being the most populous U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor.[3][4][5]
Following the voter-approval of Proposition 2 on November 3, 2015, which extended the terms of the Mayor, City Controller, and City Councilmembers to two four-year terms, Parker became the last Houston Mayor to be limited to serving three two-year terms. (wiki)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annise_Parker
Parker was an excellent and very popular Mayor in the city and did much for the LGBTQ community. Sexual orientation no issue.
6
Good for her. Best of luck to Ms. Hallquist. Some folk should stop obsessing with the sex change thing and instead focus on her incredible potential for leadership.
Hey, one of the best generals of Emperor Justinian, Narses, was a eunuch.
16
@Andrea The candidate started the obsessing with the sex change issue. I don't need to know a candidates sexual orientation to determine if their policies are beneficial to me and, on the flip side, no one needs to know what I do and who I do in order for me to get a job. It's all about qualification and experience.
3
Hmmm. The most important thing in this election is to beat back the Trump-loving GOP.
So the Democratic primary voters in Vermont have selected a sure-loser candidate.
That'll show them.
28
@znlgznlg
Our GOP governor is a moderate whom many Dems support. Electing him won't break anybody's back. You really should pay attention to New York, where your Republican-lite governor enjoys the support of all the "liberals" like HRC and Gillebrand to name just two. It's more than the letter beside their names.
4
I voted for Christine because she was the most qualified in the field of four. Her rivals consisted of a 14 year old boy (no minimum age requirement for Governor of Vermont), a woman whose main experience was running a dance festival, and a man who claimed to be an environmentalist, but did not seem to know that sewage plants overflow in rainstorms because storm water is getting into the sanitary sewer system. He thought it was due to "polluters".
Christine ran an electric utility coop successfully, meaning she had experience with capital budgets, expense budgets, human resource issues, and a whole panoply of experience transferable to management of State government. And I never heard of her transgender status creating a problem in being a successful manager.
I am a Justice of the Peace in my small southern Vermont town. and helped count and tally our paper ballot votes. We are pretty old, fairly conservative by Vermont standards. A third of our voters turned out for the primary, which is a lot by past standards, and Christine was the clear choice for competent leadership. I really couldn't care less about sexual orientation issues.
50
RM - I appreciate you filling in the election result blanks that NYT failed to mention in this article, other than the 14 yo. Gender identity aside, it appears there was no other choice than Ms. Hallquist. At least if the wish was for someone with competent management skills. I wish her well.
2
@RM. For the record, transgender concerns gender identity, not sexual orientation.
Here is what I think is the real news---most of these comments point out that there will be a day when the election of a trans person will not be a news story. That will be a great day.
My daughter is transgender, graduated college Magna Cum Laude, has an M.A.,a solid work history in two difficult fields.
I have long followed stories regarding trans people and issues in the NYT,and have been struck by the openly hateful tone of many,many comments. I began avoiding reading comments on those stories. Today's comments are almost uniformly of that somewhat passive "This should no longer be news" ilk, and I,for one, am thrilled.
121
The comenters here all miss the point, which is the Republican strategy to keep Gov Scott in office. Right now, because of his signing of legislation to start just a bit of gun control in this State, many conservative voters are aiming to throw him out of office. The election of this Democratic candidate in the primaries will test whether these same gun rights voters will truly vote for a transgender woman, in their zeal to throw Gov Scott out of office. Deep strategy at work here...
12
@MicheleP It will also be interesting to find out if the Democrats in this deeply blue state who always turn out for Scott will abandon him for Ms. Hallquist.
2
@MicheleP Scott would win reelection in any case. Vermonters cut incumbent governors a lot of slack, and most of my progressive liberal neighbors respect Scott for his principled stance on gun control, and support him.
1
@Ross Nobody in my neck of the woods plans to do so. He was elected in a deep blue state and his movement on gun control has only deepened his support among the right-, or rather left- minded. It would be ridiculous to abandon him simply to cast a symbolic vote - "see how broad thinking we are..."
The national news really misses the significance of Hallquist's nomination. Gender aside, she has distinguished herself as the General Manager of one of the most progressive electric coop utilities in the country which has committed its resources to moving the state to a non-carbon energy structure and a drive to stem climate change.
182
Thank you! People seem to be missing the point that Vermont voted for the most qualified person for the job. And not let the fact that she is transgender get in the way. THAT is the story.
I didn't vote for her, but her nomination still makes me proud to be a Vermonter today. Congratulations, Christine!
66
I wonder what her position is on a 2 mil tax increase concerning the lower east side of Burlington, to fund the low frequency interlocutor tower, and her policy on land management? Until I know that, I don't know if I like her. Policy anyone? Anyone?
10
@4Average Joe. I’m sure she would have a position and let you know if you asked. Christine is serious about the issues just like she was serious when she raised VEC’s bond rating from junk status to a good one through her work as CEO of the cooperative.
11
@4Average Joe
You'll have your chance in the next few months to speak up in a multitude of formats.
1
@4Average Joe, when she said she "supports the Congressional delegation" on the F-35 fighter jet basing, I learned all I needed to know about Hallquist's policies. In contrast to Hallquist, the other 3 primary candidates showed real courage and integrity in standing on principle against the Establishment Lockheed-Martin Democrats/"Progressives" like Bernie, Leahy, Shumlin, Shap Smith, et. al.
1
Good for the trans community, but she appears to have little or no political experience. We’re seeing how dysfunctional that makes the presidency. Has Trump’s election doomed us to leadership by businesspeople, entertainers and first-timers?
12
There is nothing wrong with having a great business leader in a political position. Trump is not one of them. He may be a great at bullying in business, but he is no leader.
4
The current GOP governor is popular and is an old school New England Republican which is why he got elected despite supporting reasonable gun registration and other positions considered left wing by the "Trumpet GOP".
7
The reason a person chooses to undergo medical experimentation on themselves should not effect how others vote.
10
@Alan Einstoss. Agreed. Here is a quotation from the candidate...
"I'm a proud and out transgender leader, but I should also tell you, that's all it needs to be," Hallquist said last month on Vermont Public Radio. "You know, people call themselves woman, they call themselves men. I'm a transgender woman. And I know it's different for folks, but you know, if you haven't met someone from Syria, they're different, too."
6
@feinblooms Syria?
If Annise Parker, the chief executive of the L.G.B.T.Q. Victory Fund, said, “Vermont voters chose Christine not because of her gender identity,” why are we making such a big deal out of it? I always think of MLK and his saying he hoped one day people would be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. All we do nowadays is judge people. This article is judging people. Why isn’t Christine simply the Democratic nominee for governor?
The Age of Identity Politics is truly dizzying.
30
@Mike:
You are not alone on this. Recommended reading: "The Trouble with Identity", by Walter Benn Michaels. A succinct, incisive analysis of the ways in which identity politics distracts attention away from wealth inequality.
2
Wake up, Trump supporters. Christine Hallquist won because she ran on issues that affect most of us. She's a decent person. That's all that matters.
58
I listened to an interview by this candidate and she sounded pretty smart to me and more importantly ... issue oriented . I would guess that is why she won. How about that!
67
Bravo! To the people of Vermont for voting for her for Gov. Democrats are moving in the correct direction.
9
This matters now; we can only hope we are moving towards a time when it won’t matter at all.
21
Playing both sides is a skill set and a craft that anyone in politics aspires to get better at. The idea that male and female are antagonists rather than cooperative protagonists in society and in the individual isn't working to address and solve our problems nowadays. We are more diverse, pluralistic, and democratic than we might have assumed ourselves to be. Yay! Thank's Vermont!
4
Eventually this won't be news. I am old enough to remember when African Americans were seldom, if ever, seen on commercials. Now I notice that commercials show interracial couples and their children. This is NOT news to those of us who can remember the so-called "good old days."
15
Why is her transgender identity even an issue? She is a woman!! I think it is insulting and frankly bigoted to not recognize her as woman. The fact of her being trans should be relegated to a file drawer with her doctors bills. Otherwise, are we really serious about respecting these individuals, or we just showing off how accepting we all are?
51
@Jean claude the damned
You can't have identity politics without identity.
8
@Jean claude the damned. Her life experiences are very different than those of a woman which she will be the first to tell you. She was, prior to transitioning, a husband and father.
13
@Ed L.-Exactly, you get it. Identity politics was given to us by Hillary and it is one of the main reasons we have the ego maniac demagogue Trump now in the WH.
I'm seeing a lot of "I was a man, but now I'm a woman" politicians in the news of late, but where are the "I was a woman now I'm a man" candidates? I'd be surprised if there weren't any.
15
We will know we’ve made real progress as a Society when a gay, transgender or minority candidate being elected to office isn’t a huge news story. They’re people first, that’s their true identity. Good luck to this particular candidate who I’m sure is running on issues that are important to the voters of Vermont.
36
@Rmski77
How about knocking it off about specializing women? We're people too.
1
congratulations
8
Thank you God for showing your wisdom and maturity in allowing the voters of Vermont to open their hearts and eyes to vote for such a wonderful human.
14
@Buzz D What does God have to do with it?
15
@Buzz D Do the voters have free will, or not? If God is controlling what they see and feel, how can that be free will?
7
@Stephen Kurtz
For those of us that believe a lot!
Vermont chooses a qualified candidate who talked about the issues while Kansas chose a racist Trump bootlicker
Whatever was wrong with Kansas has only gotten worse
Thank you Vermont for showing the world that the US is not Trumpland
171
Scott took us is right to the brink of a government shutdown this past summer. Hallquist saved my power company. We don't care for throwing out incumbents here, but the times they are a changing.
56
@Harry Finch
I would not have noticed if the Vermont government shut down.Frankly there is no government for anyone not getting pension checks here.My friends love Bernie but want cash not checks for work done.
3
This is truly remarkable!
So I have seen the first African American President!
Now the first transgender candidate for Governor.
But when will I see the first woman President of US?
18
@Jean claude the damned:
@SridharC referred to her as a transgender candidate because that is how this article represents her. It's in the title of the story! But good for you for being so much more enlightened than the rest of us.
1
@SridharC
America has never had an African president.
And this is just more of the variant male that rules this and every society on the planet, not a blow for any improvement in society or the U.S..
Wake us when the U.S. finally passes the ERA and all females can step outside their front door without being kidnapped, raped, murdered or just harassed and discriminated against.
2
@SridharC That a person who has lived nearly 60 years of his life as a man can now claim to be a woman is peak misogyny and female erasure. Have women stepped one rung down the ladder for white males - who claim to be women - once again?
4
If you can’t accept yourself for who you naturally are, would you accept who your constituents naturally are?
17
@M. Gessbergwitz
Hmmm. Well, let's put that theory to a test, shall we? Trump seems to accept exactly who he "naturally" is and yet, and I'm going out on a limb here, I'll just bet there are LOADS of folks that don't feel "accepted" for who they are.
15
“I’m not sure why that plays a part in this — we’re talking about two human beings that are running for an office,” said the chairwoman of the state's Republican Party about Hallquist's gender identity.
Agreed. I would vote for her if I thought her plan to revitalize Vermont's small business economy was sound regardless of gender identity. She spent 50+ yrs as a male utility executive. That doesn't just change. It should be all about the issues that matter to the non trust fund people in VT.
17
“I’m not sure why that plays a part in this — we’re talking about two human beings that are running for an office,” said the chairwoman of the state's Republican Party about Hallquist's gender identity.
I wholeheartedly agree. Because if she were a transgender Republican (and I lived in Vermont), I seriously doubt I would vote for her.
67
"Science without conscience is only ruin of the soul" (Rabelais). If I may, I can see a big fight between two extremes where wisdom, well-balanced opinions and moderation are gone since a long time. Communautarism is one of this aspect revealed by this article which by history and whatever the country never brought any kind of solutions and welfare. I can see only anger and frustrations risen by minority which are not a great advisor and we all ultimately know the final outcome.
Editor’s note: This comment has been anonymized in accordance with applicable law(s).
1
The extraordinary diversity of the Dem candidates in this article gives me much needed hope for the future. These people are the reflection of the very thing that has always been America’s greatest strength - its rich tapestry of races, religions, and creeds, who are now bringing their ideas, talents and work ethic to bear on the challenges of the “Global Village” we live in.
Contrary to what Laura Ingraham’s recent anti-immigrant statements would have us believe, I think that the resounding majority of Americans have no desire to live in the kind of sterile mono-cultural, mono-color society she seems to idealize.
138
@Susan
This Dem win, along with others in the primaries, shows not only the diversity, but the true backbone of the Democratic party. I am so tired of the labels that are assigned to us ... Liberal became almost a slur under George Bush and Trump has declared us an enemy of our own nation. But we always have been (and are declaring again) the party of diversity. Just as we can chew gum and walk at the same time, we can address more than a single issue. And we do not need identity politics to govern well.
I am starting to have optimism about 2018 as Dem candidates are showing what America is really Great about....knocking on the doors, listening to the constituents, then reaching for the stars so that we can get as close as possible. Our values and determination make AMERICANS great again!
15
In these hate-filled times, whether Ms. Hallquist wins the day in November seems almost beside the point. Her win yesterday shows that despite Trump-fueled efforts to destroy LGBTQ rights - or maybe because of them - people have already turned the corner enough to support a transgendered gubernatorial candidate. Congratulations to Ms. Hallquist and to the people of Vermont for once again leading us into the light.
168
@lg - Vermont has a long history of being progressive and fair. It's not surprising that Ms. Hallquist was elected here.
5
@DRYes indeed!
@lg "Trump-fueled efforts to destroy LGBTQ rights". Oh, you mean like in 2012 when Donald Trump over-ruled Canadian pageant officials so that a trans-gender woman could compete in Canada's Miss Universe? Right.
3
I'm not sure what is more difficult – making a gender transition or performing as a state governor, yet Ms. Hallquist appears to be quite capable of doing both and very well!
163
@Ronn- Yes ....but now concentrate on running Vt. for all people not promoting the fact she is transgendered.
It was the fatal mistake Hillary made that Obama did not make.
He ran as an American and not a black man and served two terms. She ran as an identity obsessed female and was relegated to the dust heap of history.
It was one of the main reasons she lost. She angered many men and a heck of a lot of women. She lost a majority of the white women's vote.
Learn from history or be prepared to repeat its' worst mistakes.
8
@Ronn
the former has to be more difficult, it requires thought, analysis and gets no lobby money.
@Paul No apostrophe in its. It is possessive on its own.
"Christine’s victory is a defining moment in the movement for trans equality and is especially remarkable given how few out trans elected officials there are at any level of government,”
Remind me again of the percentage of transgender individuals in the US?
There is a huge wait line for elected officials that represent
Americas diversity. The higher up you go, the more white guys you will find lining their pockets. All the way Congress.
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And some acknowledgement for Georgina Beyer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgina_Beyer who was the world's first transsexual Mayor and MP. Congrats to Ms Hallquist and the people who gave her their vote because of their belief in her ability. It's easy to be cynical about US politics, but as a faraway observe it's great to read stories like this.
11
“Vive La Difference !”
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I live in Bennington, one fo the poorest counties in Vermont. I voted for her because she's an anti-poverty activist, and Gov. Scott vetoed the $15 an hour wage hike bill. He said he was concerned about the Mom and Pop stores, but never talked about owners of these stores that he might have talked to. Bye bye.
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@Dimitra Lavraka
Mom and pop stores are all there are in Vermont with exception of the ski areas. Rutland is excited that a starbucks might open soon. Why 15 $ an hour?? How about design something that meets a need and sell it.See what happens then.
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@fitzy321 Maplefields is not a mom and pop store, and quite a number of the old-time general stores are owned by out of staters; for example, the Marshfield general store is owned by people in Detroit. Time and again across the state I've heard right wingers show indifference to the fate of locally-owned stores that have been the centers of their villages for upwards of a century, happy to send their money out of state and help make Vermont even more of a colony than it already is.