Democratic nominee for state representative Sean Scanlon was paying close attention the last time he knocked on Stony Creek doors.
“When I was here before, your wife was making a big fish dinner,” Scanlon said to a resident, referring to his trip to the Branford neighborhood a few months earlier.
The man looked impressed and said he thought he remembered the meal.
Down the street, Scanlon asked a woman if she had sorted out all of the old photographs she had been leafing through last time he knocked on her door. She explained that, yes, she had completed the task. Later, he assured a man that he had started reading columnist Paul Krugman. “Now, you should try the Economist’s View,” the man said.
“A lot of people hate going door-to-door, but I’ve met thousands of people this way,” Scanlon told the Branford Eagle on a recent outing in Stony Creek. He has learned in his walks the reality of shoreline life: high property taxes, not enough state education funds for Branford and Guilford and too many unfunded mandates. Tonight he and Cindy Cartier, his Republican opponent, will discuss these issues and others at a debate at the Guilford Community Center, 32 Church St., at 7:30 p.m. The debate is sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
Scanlon is running for the 98th district seat against Cartier, a member of the Guilford Board of Selectmen, for the seat being vacated by Rep. Pat Widlitz, who is retiring. The state representative district includes Guilford and the Stony Creek and Pine Orchard sections of Branford.
Cartier is well known in Guilford and qualified for state public financing in three days. Scanlon qualified in four days, a remarkable feat for his first run at elected office. People who know Scanlon were not surprised. Like Cartier, he knows the town. He grew up in Guilford. He also has been publicly active on the education scene. Click here to read our story about Cartier.
Seniors A Priority
Over the last few months he has made seniors a priority, sending out surveys to help define their needs and wants. He has since developed a seven-point senior plan, which he recently unveiled at a luncheon at the Guilford Community Center. Seniors attending the luncheon listened carefully and asked questions.
He told them he opposed CL&P’s recent announcement of a rate hike. “I stand with seniors and all CL&P customers in opposing this excessive rate hike,” he said.
Scanlon, who is 27, currently works as the director of community affairs for U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy. In that capacity he spends a good deal of time fighting for seniors, he said.
He has worked for Murphy since 2009, back when Murphy was a Congressman from the 5th district. When Murphy was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012, Scanlon became his director of community affairs, working out of the senator’s Hartford office. “This means I am a liaison to state governments. I work with state representatives and state senators on problems they are having with the federal government,” he said.
Knocking on Doors
Since he was nominated as the Democratic candidate in April, Scanlon and his team have knocked on thousands of doors. He goes out every weeknight to hit between 30 and 40 households and an estimated 100 on both Saturday and Sunday. Before the election, Scanlon hopes to have knocked on every door on his list three times. He goes to the houses of people who vote often and of people who are inclined to be supportive.
“By and large, the most important part is listening,” Scanlon said. “You can’t do this job, no matter how qualified you are, unless you understand what these people in this district want from their representative.”
As Scanlon walked around the Stony Creek area, he heard about a range of issues. Scanlon emphasized “almost every single person has a unique issue they care about.”
Environmental Issues
However, he explained, some of the most prominent issues for this neighborhood are environmental, given its proximity to Long Island Sound.
At one house, a woman explained that environmental problems “effect everybody on so many different levels,” citing groundwater pollution as a major issue in the immediate area.
“Connecticut can do something about it,” Scanlon responded. “We are doing it to ourselves and we have the responsibility to find the solution.”
Scanlon considers protecting the environment one of his main priorities if elected to office. In mid-August, he was endorsed by the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV), a bi-partisan group. Every election cycle, the CTLCV endorses candidates for the state legislature who have demonstrated a commitment to protecting Connecticut’s environment and its inhabitants. He also won the endorsement of the Connecticut chapter of The Sierra Club, the Connecticut Voters for Gun Safety and the Connecticut Working Families Party.
“Pat Widlitz has been a champion for our environment,” he said, adding he will follow her “great work.”
On Education
At the same door, Scanlon also heard concerns about education from the owners, two former teachers.
“We have to defend the teachers,” said Scanlon, a product of the Guilford public school system.
Scanlon explained that the problem, in part, is related to the property tax system. He talked about the need for reform: “The system is hurting families, seniors and young people and we can’t rely on this system to fund our schools.”
Other families expressed differing concerns about the youth population.
At one of the first few houses, Scanlon talked with a woman about underage drinking and prescription drug use in Branford. The woman, a mother, is on the Branford Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking.
She explained that although trends have appeared promising in recent years, in 2014, there was again an uptick in use.
Earlier this month, Scanlon garnered an important ally. He received the support of the Connecticut Education Association, (CEA) a group of 43,000 public and retired school teachers in the state, Scanlon has been involved in the planning process for the new Guilford High School and for the development of all-day kindergarten. Cartier won the endorsement of the local Guilford Education Association.
The Next Generation
Scanlon believes his status as a young candidate gives him an edge, but also a responsibility.
“As a young person, I have an obligation to fight to make the economy better for my generation,” Scanlon told the Eagle between houses. “We have to do something to attract the next generation of Connecticut jobs.”
Scanlon says that Branford and Guilford need to continue to develop their biomedical and biotechnology communities. He said that there are 10 to 15 startups in Branford that have high paying jobs and have immediately attracted people to the community.
On a recent morning, Scanlon visited several of these local biotech companies, including IsoPlexis, AxioMx and Durata, companies Branford State Rep. Lonnie Reed was instrumental in bringing to Branford. Reed, who is seeking re-election this year, represents Branford’s five other districts. In a Facebook post reporting his visit, he wrote, “So great to hear all three companies are doing well & growing, happy to be here in CT, and feel like state government is helping them succeed through Connecticut Innovations and our investments in life sciences.” Click here to read the story of Durata Therapeutic, Inc.
At empty houses, Scanlon took out a pen and wrote a note to the voters, asking that they contact him by phone or e-mail with any questions.
Working with other Democrats
Throughout his campaign, Scanlon has worked closely with Ted Kennedy Jr., the Democratic candidate for state senate. He is pictured here with Kennedy, Rep. Reed and U.S. senators Murphy and Richard Blumenthal.
One of Kennedy’s deep concerns centers on public transportation, especially Connecticut‘s rail system. Scanlon agrees. He says there must be an end to raiding the state’s transportation budget, adding there are ways to bring businesses and people to Connecticut and one way is to have a high speed rail system that gets people to New York City and to Connecticut faster. He said Tweed Airport in East Haven, which should be a hub, barely works.
Scanlon would support tolls on the edges of Connecticut’s borders, noting that the states of New York and New Jersey use tolls. His opponent, Republican Cindy Cartier, rejects that idea. One way to reduce the price of gasoline at the pump is to implement tolls, he says.
“There are millions of people who continue to drive through our state without paying a thing and if we continue that, we will be in trouble,” he said. Kennedy won’t commit to tolls at the borders but has said publicly he is thinking hard about the issue.
“It’s been a really cool experience working with the Kennedy team and collaborating with them, Scanlon said. “You have to work hard campaigning and then even harder when you are actually in office. There is no time for on-the-job training. We are working closely now to develop the relationship so we can get right to work on Jan. 3.”
Earlier in the summer, Kennedy and Scanlon worked together to host a Weekend of Action where they gathered volunteers and knocked on doors together.
At the last house in Stony Creek, Scanlon took a few more notes.
“Some [politicians] go and talk at people,” he said. “But I’ve never found that is effective and people are sick and tired of negative campaigning.”
He is committed to running a positive campaign, regardless of what jabs might come his way. When Cartier threw a mean-spirited barb about his age at a debate this week, he gave it right back to her, saying he would not engage in negative campaigning.
As he said going door-to-door: “I do my own thing,” he continued. “I am confident that in November the voters will decide for me.”
Marcia Chambers contributing reporting for this story.
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