Editor’s note: The Easton Courier asked candidates running for state office representing Easton to submit a bio and platform statement. Rob Blanchard (D) is running for Connecticut’s 28th Senatorial District, which includes the towns of Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Weston and Westport.
Profile
Rob Blanchard is currently the Chief of Staff to State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, whose top priority is ensuring healthcare is more affordable and accessible for everyone. He also serves on Fairfield’s Representative Town Meeting (RTM) and previously served on a town planning and zoning commission and city council. He lives in Fairfield, where he grew up, with his wife Samantha and their dogs, Winslow and Penelope. Blanchard graduated with a bachelor’s degree in History from Syracuse University.
Candidate Statement
Bethel, Easton, Fairfield, and Newtown deserve a leader who will deliver for their communities in the State Senate, not someone who uses the makeup of the legislature as an excuse for an inability to advance real solutions to the issues facing Connecticut.
Throughout the district, our roads have never been busier, our trains are slower, and our school infrastructure is rapidly aging. We need a leader who will effectively collaborate with our municipal leaders and members of our State House delegation to better support their requests for bonding for capital improvements, legislative solutions and budget priorities.
If elected, I will bring stronger representation to the 28th State Senate District as I have the vision, and the relationships with lawmakers, business, and nonprofit leaders to get started on day one. By having a seat at the table in the State Senate, I will fight for additional municipal aid and bonding for capital improvement and infrastructure projects.
That is why I’m running for this seat: to bring a more forward-thinking approach to government on residents’ behalf. The focus of my campaign comes down to the important issues that I believe must be addressed in order to make our communities better places to live for all residents, and that starts with addressing affordability and Connecticut’s high cost of living head on.
We can do this by easing the impact of inflation and combating the rising costs of utilities, healthcare, and prescriptions through smart, proactive legislation. It also involves a commitment to ensuring taxes remain stable and predictable for seniors and families, while fighting for increased municipal aid, so local leaders aren’t faced with raising property taxes or cutting education funding.
In addition to affordability, I’m also focused on partnering with stakeholders to protect and expand access to reproductive healthcare and preventative health services, while also addressing the systemic disparities present in our healthcare system. I’ll work to bolster Connecticut’s national standing as a leader on gun safety and funding for violence intervention grants that work in our communities.
Furthermore, at a time when critical industries are facing mass shortages, I believe we must invest in a strong workforce that attracts and trains the next generation of teachers, healthcare and public safety professionals, mental health workers and manufacturers by working with public and private leaders to identify ways to address the talent gap. We need to ensure that workers who are trained here stay here and contribute to Connecticut’s economy, especially skilled veterans who are returning home.
Connecticut’s farms are one of our greatest assets and contribute billions of dollars through food and tourism to the state’s economy. If elected, I’d work to find innovative ways to keep our farms, like Silverman’s Farm and Maple Row Farm, strong for generations to come by attracting new customers, addressing labor shortage challenges and helping to diversify their offerings with grant funding.
As the district, like much of Connecticut, continues to address challenges around development, we must also be thoughtful in how and where we build so that our environment and watershed are not adversely impacted.
While these are just a few issues, my main focus is connecting with voters and showing them they don’t need to accept the status quo. They can ask more of their representation and in turn, their elected leaders can do more to make their lives better. That is my main focus in this campaign, and I look forward to discussing that with voters over the coming months.
Official campaign website: https://www.robblanchardct.com.
