Peter Francis Welch (born May 2, 1947) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a U.S. representative for Vermont's at-large congressional district from 2007 to 2023. He has been a major figure in Vermont politics for over four decades, and is only the second Democrat to be elected a senator from the state. Welch served in the Vermont Senate from 1981 to 1989, including terms as minor ...