Chris JP Kelly
Chris Kelly, the manager of a bagel shop, plans to challenge incumbent State Rep. Lonnie Reed (D‑Branford) in the November state legislative election. Kelly will hit the campaign trail running, especially since he started late in the race.
Kelly, who is also a realtor, was unanimously endorsed by the Republican Town Committee (RTC) to replace candidate Ray Ingraham, the chair of the RTC, who withdrew from the state race late last month after announcing he falsely signed donor forms when applying for state public campaign financing.
Kelly, a newcomer to Branford, recently announced he will enter the state legislative race, his first effort at elective office. Rep. Reed is seeking a fifth term in office representing the 102nd district. Reed announced she was seeking re-election in January. She kicked off her campaign in May. She has qualified for campaign financing.
Kelly said he, too, will seek campaign financing through the Connecticut Citizen Election Program (CEP). According to the CEP calendar, the final application deadline for filing a public financing grant for the upcoming general election is Friday, October 14. However, Kelly could file at earlier dates if he reached his goal. According to State Selections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) records, Kelly’s treasurer is Kelly P. Ricciardi. He formally signed on as campaign treasurer under SEEC rules two days ago.
Kelly plans to run a grass-roots campaign. “I’m going to be really focused on getting out there and pounding the pavement and introducing myself one-on-one,” he told the Eagle in an interview.
Kelly said his motivation for running is based on his concern about the state’s economic woes and the effect on families.
“I believe Connecticut families and small businesses have been left behind,” said Kelly, who is married and has a school-age daughter.
“I think we need to change Connecticut by changing who we send to Hartford,” Kelly said. “I want to give Branford families and small businesses another choice to send somebody different.”
Kelly said families are making difficult choices daily that involve finances. “It’s difficult, and I share those difficult choices every day as a father and husband and as a business manager.”
Kelly Bio
Kelly is manager of Cohen’s Bagel Company in Madison and works part time as a realtor with Sette Real Estate in Hamden. He and his family moved to Branford in April 2015.
He was raised in Ridgefield and graduated from Canterbury School in New Milford in 1998. He majored in International Business at Loyola University in New Orleans.
Kelly was appointed to fill a vacancy on Branford’s Planning and Zoning Commission in February, and formerly served on the Zoning Board of Appeals in Beacon Falls.
He is looking forward to the campaign. “I’m excited to get out and talk to people and explore ideas with Branford residents,” he said, adding that people can follow his campaign on the Kelly for Branford Facebook page.
The 102nd District includes all of Branford except for Stony Creek and Pine Orchard, which is represented by state Rep. Sean Scanlon (D) of Guilford. Scanlon announced his run for a second term in January, and is running unopposed.
Campaign Financing
Kelly said he will seek campaign financing through the CEP program. The program requires candidates to raise a minimum of 150 small donations under $100 totaling $5,000 in order to receive a public grant of $ $28,150 in campaign funds.
In a press release last month, Ingraham said he “made a serious error in judgment” when he signed contributor forms for four online donors “to speed up the process.” He had announced his candidacy in April. Ingraham has served as majority leader of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) since 2013 and as chair of the RTC since 2010.
The State Election Enforcement Commission (SEEC) announced earlier this month it will refer Ingraham’s case to its enforcement unit for further investigation.
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