Peter
Welch

Who they are, where they came from

Peter Welch serves as the junior United States Senator from Vermont, a seat he has held since January 3, 2023. A lawyer and member of the Democratic Party, Welch previously represented Vermont's at-large congressional district in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2023. He is only the second Democrat to represent Vermont in the Senate, after his predecessor Patrick Leahy, and has been a figure in Vermont politics for over four decades. In the Senate, Welch has sponsored legislation spanning agricultural policy, social insurance programs, election infrastructure, environmental protection, and rural community support. On agriculture, he has sponsored the O DAIRY Act of 2025 (S.2442), the Farm Ownership Improvement Act (S.910), the LOCAL Foods Act of 2025 (S.1212), the Capital for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act of 2025 (S.2797), and the Opportunities in Organic Act (S.3717). On social insurance, he has sponsored the COLAs Don't Count Act of 2026 (S.3603) and the Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act (S.3357). On election and democratic infrastructure, he has sponsored the Digital Integrity in Democracy Act (S.840) and the Deliver for Democracy Act (S.1002). On energy and environment, he has sponsored the WEATHER Act of 2025 (S.231), the Energizing Our Communities Act (S.2835), the Global Climate Resilience Act of 2025 (S.3509), and the Plug Offshore Wells Act (S.4239). Additional sponsored measures include the Advancing GETs Act of 2025 (S.1327), the Nulhegan River and Paul Stream Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2025 (S.1578), the Emergency Medical Services Reimbursement for On-Scene Care and Support Act (S.3730), the Baby Changing on Board Act (S.71), the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2025 (S.898), the E-Access Act (S.3926), and the SAP Act (S.56).

What they’ve done lately

Where the campaign funds come from

Welch raised $153,598 this cycle, with 62.1% of receipts coming from other sources, 22.5% from individuals, and 15.0% from PAC contributions. Individual contributions were primarily itemized, with unitemized donations making up just 11.6% of that share. Top PAC contributors include the Laborers' International Union of North America PAC ($5,000), National Elevator Constructors PAC ($2,500), Dairy Farmers of America PAC ($2,500), and DRIVE — Democrat Republican Independent Voter Ed. ($1,500), with additional contributions from the National Milk Producers Federal PAC, National Grocers Association PAC, and Agri-Mark Legislative and Educational PAC. No employer concentrations were reported for this cycle.