# Jan Backus

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**Jan Backus** (born July 30, 1947) is a retired American politician who served as a [Vermont state](/source/Vermont) [senator](/source/Vermont_Senate) representing [Windham County](/source/Windham_County,_Vermont) from 1989 to 1994 and [Chittenden County](/source/Chittenden_County,_Vermont) from 1997 to 2000. A [community activist](/source/Social_activist), Backus served as a member of the [Vermont Southeast Supervisory Union](/source/Vermont_Southeast_Supervisory_Union) board for many years before making a run for the [Vermont state Senate](/source/Vermont_Senate) and winning a seat. She served as chairwoman of the Senate Health & Welfare Committee and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

A [moderate](/source/Moderate)-to-[liberal](/source/Liberalism) [Democrat](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)), Backus ran for the [U.S. Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) in 1994 and beat [Douglas M. Costle](/source/Douglas_M._Costle), [Environmental Protection Agency](/source/United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency) administrator under President [Jimmy Carter](/source/Jimmy_Carter), for her [party](/source/Political_party)'s [nomination](/source/Nomination) and came within 9 points of ousting [incumbent](/source/Incumbent) U.S. Senator [Jim Jeffords](/source/Jim_Jeffords) ([R](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))-[VT](/source/Vermont)).[1] In 2000, she ran again and lost the Democratic U.S. Senate [primary](/source/Partisan_primary) to [Ed Flanagan](/source/Ed_Flanagan_(politician)), then Vermont's Auditor of Accounts.[2] In 2004 Backus ran for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.[3]

Backus lives in [Winooski, Vermont](/source/Winooski,_Vermont), with her husband [Steve Blodgett](/source/Steve_Blodgett) (a former state senator). She currently serves as a member of Winooski's Downtown Revitalization Project to eliminate [sprawl](/source/Urban_sprawl) and attract [jobs](/source/Employment). She has three daughters, one of whom served as a high-ranking member of [John Kerry's](/source/John_Kerry) [presidential campaign](/source/Political_campaign) in 2004.

Backus competes annually in the National Crossword Championship. Her highest finish was 46th.

## References

1. ["THE 1994 ELECTIONS: THE SENATE; Who Won Where"](https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40E16F83A5A0C7A8CDDA80994DC494D81). *The New York Times*. 1994-11-09.

1. ["Law Permitting Civil Unions for Gays Proves a Factor in Primaries"](https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30E17F8395C0C778DDDA00894D8404482). *The New York Times*. 2000-09-14.

1. [interview with Backus during run for Lieutenant Governor](http://www.vermontwoman.com/articles/0904/backus-rivers.shtml) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080725100805/http://www.vermontwoman.com/articles/0904/backus-rivers.shtml) 2008-07-25 at the Wayback Machine

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