Who are the down-ballot candidates?
Crash Course takes a look at who else is on the ballot aside from the Presidential race.
There are major decisions to come for voters in November. It is a presidential election year — which is vastly important — but there are other races on the ballot besides Donald Trump versus Joe Biden.
We took a look at the other candidates on the ballot in Mansfield and Connecticut’s five Congressional seats so you could get a better understanding what they are offering.
State House of Representatives
Gregg Haddad is running unopposed for the Mansfield 54th House District Representative position. Haddad, a Democrat, was first elected to the Connecticut General Assembly in 2010, and also serves on the Appropriations Committee and on the Government Administration and Elections Committee.
Before his time in the General Assembly, Haddad served as Mansfield’s deputy mayor for 11 years. He currently serves on many committees in and around Mansfield and Willimantic.
Haddad has been a supporter of free community college for first-time Connecticut students, and worked with the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee to propose a plan, which later became a law, for free tuition for first-time community-technical college students.
After the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system announced they would reopen campuses Aug. 24 and keep students home after Thanksgiving break due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Haddad offered his support for the plan, saying it would benefit both students and the towns the colleges are in.
“I think a robust testing plan...gives them the best chance to work through a semester without taking any extraordinary risks,” Haddad said.
In late August, Haddad, along with officials from Mansfield and Willimantic, called for Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont to limit social gatherings to 25 people due to the students beginning to return to their towns.
After many UConn students who live in The Oaks on the Square in Storrs downtown were put into quarantine after Covid-19 outbreaks within the apartment complex, Haddad contributed to an effort by Mansfield residents to collect items for care packages for students.
Haddad’s work with the Higher Education and Employment Advancement committee also included proposing legislation to create a sexual misconduct survey at all Connecticut colleges and universities.
“Connecticut institutions of higher education are doing great work in preventing sexual assaults from occurring on college campuses through strong policies,” Haddad said. “But we can always do better...This bill’s goal is to improve the quality of information about what is occurring on campuses and it also works to remove barriers that might exist to reporting instances of sexual assault, intimate partner violence and harrassment.”
Democrat Brian Smith is running against Republican Julie Shikosky in the 48th House District Representative Race.
After the passing of Representative Linda Orange last year, a special election led to Smith taking over the seat in January of this year.
“I want to thank the voters of Colchester, Lebanon, Mansfield and Windham [parts of these towns make up the 48th district] for trusting me with continuing Representative Linda Orange’s legacy,” Smith said in a statement.
During his campaign, Smith had support from the CT Working Families party, and various Connecticut unions, as well as the United Auto Workers’ political action committee and the American Federation of Teachers CT.
Smith’s opponent, Republican Julie Shilosky is building her campaign on keeping Connecticut’s economy “prosperous and growing,” taxes under control and preserving open spaces and the right to farm.
Shilosky has also received an endorsement from the Connecticut State Fraternal Order of Police, and said in a Facebook post she will “work tirelessly to protest their rights and tools they need to do their jobs! Back The Blue!”
State Senate
Current Connecticut State Senator Mae Flexer from the 29th District is the Democratic nominee for the seat in the upcoming November election. Flexer is seeking her fourth term in this office. She previously served on the state House of Representatives in 44th District, where she served from 2009 to 2014.
Originally elected in Nov. 2014, Flexer has served on a number of committees since her election. Namely, she vice-chaired the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee in the Connecticut General Assembly. Flexer was on the corresponding committee in the state House from 2009 to 2010.
In her time in office she has co-sponsored bills to authorize universal absentee ballots in this year’s election, establish paid family leave, increase the state minimum wage in both 2014 while in the House of Representatives and 2019 in the Senate.
“It is something that is unique to this year, and this year’s circumstances and recognizes the overwhelming majority of Connecticut voters want to exercise their right to vote this year without fear for their health and safety,” Flexer said.
Both of the Democratic and Republican primaries were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Flexer’s challenger for the 29th District, Republican nominee Jessica Alba is new to political office, but did work for the state in the past, according to WINY Radio.
Alba is looking to do the following if elected: protect the future of the state’s children, grow the economy, support law enforcement, decrease regulation that “obstruct the quality of life” and make “fiscally sound decisions,” according to her Facebook page.
“We are in a moral and economic crisis in Connecticut,” Alba, according to WNIY. “We must have the courage to restore our freedom, allow people to go back to living their lives and demanding action in Hartford to make government do its job.”
Alba secured an endorsement from the Connecticut State Police Union after she declared support for police. Alba has attended pro-police demonstrations and held up a sign with “Blue Lives Matter” on it, according to her Facebook page.
U.S. House races
The battle for Connecticut’s “flippable” fifth congressional district (WSHU)
Debate recap for 4th congressional district’s only ‘clash’ (Greenwich Time)
Candidate’s for CT’s 3rd congressional district face off in pre-election debate (WTNH)
2nd congressional district is Connecticut’s largest, has the most crowded field this year (WFSB)
1st congressional district virtual debate “zoom bombed” with hateful, homophobic messages (CT Mirror)
Top photo courtesy of Connecticut General Assembly
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story listed the incorrect number of the House District representative race between Democrat Brian Smith and Republican Julie Shikosky. It is the 48th District.