Progressives also elect new chair, leaders

by VDC staff

The Vermont Democratic Party has elected Lachlan Francis of Westminster as its new party chair, selecting the 29-year-old during its biennial reorganization process on Nov. 15.

Francis is well-known within party circles as the co-author of November, 2024 post-mortem on the Red Wave election that lost the Democrat’s supermajority control of the Legislature. In a nutshell, the report said his party didn’t have a turnout problem, it had a problem with how the large turnout perceived the Democrat candidates – many of whom were not re-elected.

Francis said the party did not suffer from low turnout or a hostile national environment—it suffered from a full-scale persuasion and messaging collapse, unique in the entire country.

The report notes that Vermonters turned out in record numbers and delivered Kamala Harris a vote share higher than Bernie Sanders or any statewide officer typically receives. Virtually every demographic group in Vermont remained the most Democratic version of that group in the nation—yet Democrats still bled support where it mattered most.

The Vermont Republican Party re-elected Paul Dame as state chair November 8. The same weekend the Vermont Progressive Party elected Bill Hunsinger of Ripton as state party chair.

According to a statement on the VDP Facebook page, Francis becomes one of the youngest state party chairs in Vermont Democratic Party history and among the youngest in the nation. A graduate of Vermont public schools and the University of Vermont, he has more than a decade of experience working on political campaigns, communications and policy. He has advised Democratic candidates from local offices to Congress and has served as chair of both the Windham County Democratic Committee and the Westminster Town Democratic Committee.

Francis has spent the past five years as a research consultant at Global Strategy Group, a major polling firm in Democratic politics, where he led data projects and advised campaigns and state parties in 30 states. Party officials said his combination of national experience and local organizing background aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen grassroots infrastructure and candidate development.

Francis emphasized the importance of community engagement and said his priorities include expanding local organizing capacity, supporting candidates, and promoting what he described as collaborative, community-centered values.

Francis began volunteering in state politics as a high school student in Brattleboro, working on TJ Donovan’s 2012 attorney general campaign and later interning with the Vermont Democratic Party’s finance team. He managed Becca Balint’s first campaign for state Senate before working on an organizing program in San Antonio, Texas, and returning to Vermont to complete his degree.

VDP Executive Director May Hanlon said Francis reflects “a new generation of Vermont leadership” and highlighted his focus on relationship-based organizing and local investment.

In 2023, Francis was elected chair of the Windham County Democratic Committee, where he helped increase volunteer engagement and fundraising for campaigns. Earlier this year, he received the party’s Leahy Award for civic engagement and public service.

His public service has included appointments to the State Board of Education — where he became its first student vice chair — the Governor’s Council on Pathways from Poverty, and multiple local nonprofit and municipal boards. He grew up in Putney and has worked on local farms, at Grafton Village Cheese Company, and as a small business owner. He is currently associate director of marketing and communications at Landmark College.

John Walters, publisher of the Vermont Political Observer blog, notes that Francis had a checkered record as a political consultant in 2024:

“There’s also a potential downside to Francis’ resumé; he and fellow Democratic operative Nick Charyk operated a campaign consultancy in 2024, and their two biggest clients were losers: state Senate candidate Stewart Ledbetter and longtime senator Chris Bray, Perhaps Francis will argue that his experience has taught him what not to do.”

Francis lives in Westminster with his wife, Olivia, a physical therapist, and their dog, Willie. He succeeds Jim Ramsey, who had served as interim chair since February.

Progs proclaim Pollina as Chair Emeritus, name Ripton man as chair 

The Vermont Progressive Party, self-proclaimed in a statement as “widely recognized as the most successful third party in the country” and the third major party in Vermont, held its State Convention at the Old Labor Hall in Barre on Sunday, November 9.  

The Vermont Progressive Party unanimously passed a resolution to recognize Anthony Pollina, who served as Chair of the Party from 2007 to 2009 and 2017 to 2025, as Chair Emeritus. Throughout his more than 40 year political career in Vermont, Pollina ran for statewide office four times including a campaign for Governor in 2008. Pollina served as a Vermont State Senator from 2011 until 2023. 

With only four members of the Party’s Coordinating Committee continuing, the 2025 Convention marks the beginning of a new era for the Vermont Progressive Party. Stepping into leadership roles include Chair Bill Hunsinger (Ripton), Vice Chair Cindy Weed (Enosburg), Secretary Carter Neubieser (Burlington) and Assistant Secretary Jose Aguayo (Montpelier). 

New leaders serving as At-Large members include Gene Bergman (Burlington), Antonio Golan (Burlington) and Jaiel Pulskamp (Worcester). The Party has five new Regional Advisors: Eli Carini (Hartland) representing South East: Windham, Windsor; Adam Norton (Montpelier) representing Central: Washington, Orange; Kim Gabbert (Vergennes) representing South West: Bennington, Rutland, Addison; Marilyn Hackett (Franklin) representing Northern: Essex, Orleans, Franklin, Caledonia, Lamoille; and Kate Bailey (South Burlington) representing Chittenden-Grand Isle. 

Will Anderson (Burlington) continues to serve as Treasurer. Adam Franz (Burlington), Liz Blum (Norwich), and Jackie Stanton (Johnson) continue on the Coordinating Committee as At-Large members.