Three transgender candidates for state representatives are on Vermont’s August 11 primary ballot in the state where Democrat Christine Hallquist made history as the first transgender woman to win a major party’s nomination for governor two years ago.
Reports the Montpelier-based online news source VTDigger:
The three first-time candidates are Taylor Small, the director of health and wellness at Pride Center of Vermont, who is running for the Winooski House seat now held by Rep. Diana Gonzalez, a Progressive, who is not seeking reelection; Ember Quinn, a substitute teacher, who is vying for a seat in Milton; and Jamie Dufour, a small business owner, is campaigning to become a state representative for Manchester.
“I am definitely proud that there are three trans-women running for office,” Hallquist told VTDigger. “It’s nice to know that when you give up everything and commit to something that it has some level of impact.”
Small has received the endorsements of both Hallquist and incumbent Gonzalez for the seat she’s aiming to fill in the statehouse. Even Small’s opponent had kind words for her, telling VTDigger he “thinks it’s ‘great’ that Small is bringing her perspective to this race.”
As for Quinn, she told VTDigger “she is most inspired by Bernie Sanders and his political message and that her campaign will focus on education funding equity, affordability, low income housing and pushing for a statewide LGBTQ education curriculum. She added that Covid-19 has presented a moment for Milton to elect a Democrat as its state representative, and she thinks she has a chance at winning the race.”
Dufour, reported VTDigger, said “she is running on a pro-small business message and on her ability to work with and listen to both Republicans and Democrats.”
“Having a conservative background I think is a definite bonus,” Defour said in an interview Wednesday. “It helps me connect to the opposite side of the fence in terms of policy when it comes to party politics.”
She added that she prefers to focus on policy and the economy in her campaign rather than on her identity as a transgender woman, which, she said, is “part of who I am. It’s not everything about me.”
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