By Kolby LaMarche

The Democratic primary for Chittenden County Sheriff has taken a sharp turn in recent days, with allegations of transphobic rhetoric from supporters of incumbent Dan Gamelin drawing condemnation from LGBTQ+ advocates and his challenger, Kevin Bloom. 

The dispute has thrust personal identity and campaign conduct into the spotlight less than a month before the August 11 primary.

Gamelin, a longtime law enforcement veteran with more than four decades in Vermont policing, is seeking re-election after winning the office in 2022. He faces Bloom, a Burlington musician and political newcomer with no prior experience in law enforcement, who has positioned their campaign around reimagining the sheriff’s role with an emphasis on community support over traditional enforcement in areas like evictions.

The controversy erupted after the LGBTQI+ Caucus of the Vermont Democratic Party publicly accused Gamelin’s campaign of tolerating hateful speech directed at Bloom, who is non-binary and transgender.

Caucus leaders highlighted now-deleted social media comments, including one they attributed to Gamelin’s brother, Francis, as well as related replies that allegedly included slurs against Bloom.

According to a now-deleted Facebook comment. Francis Gamelin said “[Kevin Bloom’s] identity depends on which direction the wind is blowing on a typical day. What a p*ssy.” 

Debbie Ingram of the LGBTQI+ Caucus described the language as unacceptable in a Democratic primary. “To be fair, not the candidate himself, but supporters and members of the campaign, volunteers of the campaign, made some — used a slur against the non-binary trans opponent, Kevin Bloom,” Ingram said in recent reporting. The group argued that Gamelin had been aware of the issue for weeks before addressing it publicly.

Bloom, who has described the potential to become the first openly transgender elected sheriff in the country if successful, responded by calling for accountability. They noted reaching out to Gamelin multiple times privately to address the matter before it became public. 

Bloom questioned whether individuals distributing campaign signs for Gamelin could be considered separate from the campaign itself.

In a statement released today, Gamelin pushed back against claims that his campaign endorsed or encouraged such behavior. He condemned harassment and threats directed at anyone involved in the race.

“Let me be as clear as I can be,” Gamelin said. “Harassment, intimidation, and threats have no place in our politics, in this campaign, or in our county. Period.”

Gamelin emphasized that the comments in question came from individuals not officially affiliated with his campaign. He said he had personally called Bloom to apologize for his brother’s response in the comments and asked the relative, who is not part of the campaign, to remove the negative posts. Those comments were taken down.

“I have condemned the social media posts by others and called my opponent to say the comments were unacceptable, and I apologized,” Gamelin stated. “I can’t control what other people say, but I can tell you exactly where I stand: hatred toward anyone in the LGBTQI+ community, or any community, is unacceptable to me, and I want no part of it.”

The sheriff highlighted personal connections that make the issue particularly meaningful to him. “This isn’t abstract for me. People I love, close family friends, are part of the LGBTQI+ community. I care about them with my whole heart, and I care about the safety and belonging of every LGBTQI+ Vermonter, and every marginalized Vermonter, the same way,” he said. 

Gamelin’s campaign has centered on his extensive experience. He began his career with the Winooski Police Department in 1981 and joined the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Office in 1982. He has served in various capacities, including patrols, court security, and prisoner transport, and recently oversaw the creation of a Street Crimes Unit aimed at addressing retail thefts in the county’s bustling economic hub. 

Supporters point to his deep institutional knowledge as essential for managing one of Vermont’s busiest sheriff’s offices.

In contrast, Bloom, frontman of the experimental psych-rock band The Dead Shakers, entered the race in late 2025 without accepting outside donations, self-funding his efforts. Their platform challenges conventional sheriff duties, advocating for alternatives to evictions and greater focus on housing stability and community interaction. Bloom has no background in policing and does not own a firearm.

The race marks a rare contested Democratic primary for the position, which has seen little competition in recent cycles. 

Reactions to the allegations have varied. Supporters of Gamelin argue that isolated comments from family members or unaffiliated individuals should not define the campaign, especially given his prompt response in removing the posts and issuing a personal apology. 

Critics, including Bloom and the caucus, maintain that campaigns bear responsibility for the behavior of those actively promoting them, such as sign distributors. 

Gamelin concluded his statement by calling for focus on substantive issues. “I’m grateful to everyone working in good faith to keep this race focused on what matters,” he said. “I’m running for Sheriff to keep every neighborhood in this county safe,” it continued. 

Bloom has continued campaigning, emphasizing their vision for a more progressive approach to the sheriff’s office. In public statements, they expressed gratitude for the caucus’s support and stressed that no one should face hateful rhetoric for seeking public service.

As the primary approaches, both campaigns are expected to intensify outreach across Chittenden County. The winner will likely face minimal or no opposition in the November general election, given the county’s strong Democratic lean.