Editor’s note: The Easton Courier asked candidates running for office representing Easton to submit a bio and platform statement. Beth Cliff (D) is running for Connecticut’s 112th House District seat.
Beth Cliff was raised in farm country in northern Connecticut — the center of town was a blinking red light, a post office and an old cider mill — and understands small town values and community life. As a working mother whose husband also had a demanding career, she understands the pressures on women to succeed while providing loving care for their children and managing the household.
And as someone who has spent her professional life in business — as a salesperson, manager, and consultant — she knows how to analyze situations and bring solutions forward that are workable and achieve results.
Cliff is a graduate of Princeton University and has an MBA from the University of Virginia. Now retired, she has over 30 years of experience in leading American corporations, at universities of international standing, and in boutique consulting firms serving Fortune Global 100 companies. Her roles included work in marketing, sales, operations, and HR — always jobs involving serving people by understanding their needs and concerns and determining ways to address them.
Cliff and her husband, Gordon, raised two daughters, Lorraine and Helen, now in their mid-twenties. Currently she is board president for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport, which pulls from all over Fairfield county. She sings alto in the UU choir, with a senior group in Easton, and with another attached to Sacred Heart University. She teaches music to kindergarten classes at the Beardsley School in Bridgeport.
Cliff helped restart the Friends of the Easton Library as its elected president, and together the team raised tens of thousands of dollars for the library. Locals will recognize her as “Ms. Claus” at the library’s tree lighting and holiday gathering in December. She is also the Easton Garden Club’s head of publicity.
Candidate Statement
Much has happened that confirms my decision to run to represent the people of Easton, Monroe and Trumbull. My website and July 9 candidate statement share a comprehensive review of my priorities, and those priorities have not changed. What has changed, however, has been the solid endorsements of a breadth of organizations that recognize my strengths, commitments, and collaborative approach to solving problems.
I have been formally endorsed by three parties: the Democratic, Independent and Working Families Parties. This reflects my ability to work across party lines, and to focus on kitchen table issues.
The Independent Party’s endorsement speaks to my ability to focus on getting to workable solutions, regardless of their party origin. It reflects my desire to make voting easy, accessible and secure, and government work transparent and open.
The Working Families Party’s endorsement acknowledges my deep commitment to ensuring that our economy works for all of us. Working families are the backbone of our communities and our economy; policies that ignore their needs do not work for anyone. The Young Democrats of Connecticut acknowledge my commitment to engaging young citizens, and to making core decisions today that will have far-reaching effects on lives and livelihoods tomorrow. These issues include education, climate change, housing and healthcare.
Reproductive Equity Now and Planned Parenthood recognize my unflagging commitment to women’s reproductive rights. A core value is my belief in the inherent worth and dignity of all people who are free to live and love as they wish.
Endorsements from union organizations American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Connecticut Employees Union Independent (CEUI) underscore my commitment to the working people of Connecticut who need a living wage, affordable housing, accessible healthcare and fair benefits. This includes teachers, paraprofessionals, healthcare workers and so many who work to keep our families whole and safe, and who can be, sadly, overlooked and underrepresented.
An endorsement and Grade “A” rating with CT Against Gun Violence speaks to my deep commitment to gun safety and the need to keep our students and children safe from the proliferation of guns. Likewise, Mental Health Now’s support underscores my belief in the importance of caring for our health: the visible and invisible.
Since May, I have been out meeting people. Several important points are clear:
- Townspeople want a representative who actively listens, hears their issues, and goes to work for them. They want action, results, and tangible support, not just event photos and signed-off paperwork.
- My career experience will be invaluable. I know how to speak up and get things done. Working mothers who juggle households, motherhood, marriages, careers, and personal fulfillment — often caregiving for parents, too — need direct representation; there are too few of us in the General Assembly. Plus, I know what it takes to attract businesses to Connecticut, a key pillar of a strong economy that serves all of us and attracts young people.
Nov. 5 will determine the future of our country. A vote for me will bring optimistic possibilities for the future of Easton, Monroe and Trumbull.
