I'm Chris Coutu and I am Running to Represent You in Congress

This is my first blog post and my thanks to Patch for creating this space. Running for Congress is a privilege and I thought I would devote this space to providing posts from the campaign trail.

First…Who am I?

My name is Chris Coutu. My wife, Neringa, my 8 month daughter, and I live in Norwich, where I represent the 47th district in the Connecticut State House of Representatives.

In the State House, I have been leading the charge to get Connecticut’s fiscal house in order. I enlisted in the Air Force in 1995 and was deployed to Kuwait for Operation Southern Watch. Today I am an Army National Guard Officer stationed out of Groton.

I have a real first hand understanding of the economy, having worked in my family’s businesses coordinated trucking routes with brokers, shucked scallops in the Atlantic on commercial fishing ship, and manned a pin machine within the tool & die manufacturing company.

I am also the founder of American Warrior, an all-volunteer non-profit that sends WWII veterans to see their new memorial and motivates thousands of students to support patriotic operations. Since its 2007 inception, AmericanWarrior has sent 730 World War II Veterans to Washington DC to see the memorials. (expanded bio)

Why I am running?

Many things went into my decision to run for Congress, but the first was something that happened about a year ago. A few days after my daughter was born she required open heart surgery. Imagine a young couple joyously looking forward to their first new baby and suddenly overwhelmed by details and serious decisions.

Happily, all went very well thanks to some remarkable doctors. But it forced me to face politics in a very serious light. What if that surgery had not been available? What if I would have had to have gone through a government bureaucracy? And, as the realities of fatherhood settled upon on when my daughter was back home, what kind of world will I pass on?

I believe America is on the wrong track. Our spending needs to be prioritized, the deficit must be drastically reduced and our business climate must be improved to generate jobs. America is the foremost democracy in the world and we are exceptional. The only thing holding us back is Washington DC and entrenched lifelong politicians. I want you to send me to Washington DC to unshackle the core principles that produced centuries of prosperity for American families and citizens.

How’s it going?

In just a few months we have visited and participated in over 140 events. We continue to meet wonderful people across Eastern Connecticut. I am going to do my best in these posts to give stories and updates as to what it is like to run for Congress in Connecticut’s largest district – an area both large but also diverse, having towns as different as Thompson, Madison, Vernon, Groton, and Norwich.

I look forward to meeting you, to talking to you, and to writing about this truly exceptional experience.

See you out there.

Chris

PS. For more information or to ask Chris a question please visit www.CoutuforCongress.com or email electcoutu@gmail.com