Last-Minute Replacement For Republican 30th District Candidate

BERLIN, CT - Steve Baleshiski, a 22-year-old Republican challenger to state House of Representatives current Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, has been replaced by Michael Gagliardi, according to the Hartford Courant. Gagliardi, 47, is a Berlin resident and says he opposes new taxes and wants the state to get spending under control.

The change comes with less than three weeks before Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Baleshiski had come under fire from the state's largest teacher's union for an alleged pattern of intolerant comments, particularly on social media.

A specific target of the criticism is a post dated March 26, 2018 regarding David Hogg, a student who survived a February shooting incident at a Florida high school who has become an advocate for strict gun control laws. The post says, in part, "Apparently if you survive horrific events, that makes the stupidity spewing out of your mouth above reproach. I disagree. Hogg can burn in hell, I don't care what he survived. Survivors who wage war on my country are my enemies."

The 30th District seat includes Berlin and Southington.

Attempts to contact Baleshiski by a Patch reporter were not successful.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel