Peter Welch

Senator, VT · Democratic · Vermont

Peter Welch is the junior Democratic U.S. Senator from Vermont, a former 16-year House member focused on prescription-drug prices, agriculture, and climate.

Profile last updated Jul 5, 2026 · Center Field Politics

Peter Welch

Office Held: Senator, VT

Democratic

Notices

Retirement ReviewLong Term of ServiceHigh Net Worth

Home town

Norwich, VT

Political Party

Democratic

Spectrum

Left of Center

Years of Service

3 in current office

Age

Net Worth

$5M-$25M

#7 of 60 wealthiest

Change since first elected: Not available (insufficient disclosure years)

Work History

Public Offices

Vermont Senate: 8 yrs — 1981–1989.⁶
Vermont Senate: 5 yrs — 2001–2007 (appointed Dec 2001, then elected).⁶
U.S. Representative (VT At-Large): 16 yrs — 2007–2023.⁶
U.S. Senator (VT): 3 yrs — Current office since January 2023.⁶

Before Politics¹

Attorney

Party Unity / Cross-Party Votes

94% with party / 6% cross-party

Works across the aisle (career record) - see details.

Promises Kept

3 of 3 tracked (1 fulfilled, 2 in progress)

Core Strength

Long legislative record and a safe Vermont seat.

Core Weakness

A junior senator in the minority for much of his term.

Where They Stand

Environment: Supports — Backs federal climate investment and clean-energy incentives.

Healthcare: Supports — Supports expanding coverage and lowering drug prices.

Second Amendment: Supports — Supports expanded background checks and firearm-safety measures.

Immigration: Supports — Supports comprehensive immigration reform.

Roe v. Wade: Supports — Supports codifying abortion-access protections.

National Security: Opposes — Favors diplomacy and congressional authorization over new intervention.

Scout's Report

A progressive-pragmatist senator with deep House experience and a consumer-protection focus.

Core Strength

Long legislative record and a safe Vermont seat.

Core Weakness

A junior senator in the minority for much of his term.

Recent Action

Pressed prescription-drug pricing and dairy-farm support in the Senate.

Key Metrics

Reliability: 97%
Documented Controversies: 0
Funding Secured: $60M

Where They Stand

Stances on the issues many voters care most about. Where a candidate has not given a clear answer we mark it "Mixed / Partial" or "Unclear" rather than guess. Positions are drawn from official records and bias-labeled news sources; they are descriptive only and are never scored.

Environment—Supports⁴

Climate protections and regulation versus fewer climate-related regulations on industry.

Backs federal climate investment and clean-energy incentives.

Medium Confidence

Healthcare—Supports⁴

Expanding healthcare coverage for all versus expanding market-based, private insurance.

Supports expanding coverage and lowering drug prices.

Medium Confidence

Second Amendment—Supports⁴

New firearm regulations versus no new firearm regulations.

Supports expanded background checks and firearm-safety measures.

Medium Confidence

Immigration—Supports⁴

Pathways to citizenship versus a closed-border approach.

Supports comprehensive immigration reform.

Low Confidence / Insufficient Data

Roe v. Wade—Supports⁴

Protecting access to abortion versus restricting access to abortion.

Supports codifying abortion-access protections.

Medium Confidence

National Security—Opposes⁴

Whether diplomacy or military strength should be the primary national-security priority.

Favors diplomacy and congressional authorization over new intervention.

Low Confidence / Insufficient Data

Estimated Net Worth

Most recent estimate: $5M-$25M

Year-over-year change cannot be computed until additional disclosure years are added to this profile.

Party Loyalty

Party-line alignment on major recorded votes.

Frequently seeks bipartisan partners on prescription-drug pricing, rural broadband, and agriculture.

Sources

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