​ Harding off and running in sprawling district

Stephen Harding Craig Miner Andrew Roraback

Ned Lamont Dell Eads 30th state Senbate District

By Scott Benjamin

The state Senate district covers more land than some congressional outposts.

There are 18 municipalities, and three of them – New Milford, Sharon and Salisbury - rank first through third in land in Connecticut.

“The voters aren’t so much interested in political party affiliation, but in common sense solutions,” said state Rep. Stephen Harding (R-107) of Brookfield regarding the massive 30th state Senate District. "Politically, it is a moderate district."

He has begun a journey to succeed Republican Craig Miner of Litchfield in representing the district, which stretches from Brookfield to Massachusetts border. Miner, a former state representative and first selectman, was initially elected to the seat in 2016.

Ten years ago, Harding worked on the campaign in the Fifth Congressional District for Republican Andrew Roraback of Goshen, who was concluding his 12th year in representing the 30th District.

In 2000, when Roraback, then a state representative, was initially campaigning for the office he noted that they served lunch in the Senate but not in the House.

Harding said with a laugh that issue is no longer is a consideration since they now serve lunch in the House.

Harding, who initially captured his state House seat in a February 2015 special election, has already appeared before the Republican Town committees in North Canaan and Torrington and attended social events in the district – which following the reapportionment is growing from 14 to 18 municipalities with the addition of Sherman, and parts of New Fairfield, Washington and Bethlehem.

“I knew Craig was thinking about stepping down and I knew about the district from my work with Andrew, so it is something that I had been considering,” he said of his decision. “It does mean covering a lot more territory and being invited to a lot more events, since I now only represent three municipalities [Brookfield and parts of Danbury and Bethel], but meeting people and discussing issues is the most enjoyable part of being in the General Assembly.”

Geographically, it is the largest of the 36 state Senate districts in Connecticut. It has a collection of suburbs – such as Brookfield and New Milford as well as rural towns in the Northwest Corner of Litchfield County.

“Since I am already on the Environment Committee, I think that I could assist the farmers in the district,” Harding remarked in a phone interview.

“There also is a lot of emphasis in the district on local control, zoning laws and preservation of open space,” he added.

Harding, an attorney, said there is considerable interest among parents and other voters about the multiple extensions of emergency powers to Gov. Ned Lamont (D-Greenwich) during the recent stages of the pandemic.

“They are concerned that the General Assembly has turned over powers to one person, which doesn’t allow for checks and balances,” he commented. “They are talking about what is going on in the schools on the requirements for wearing masks.

He said that voters in the district also are discussing the surge in crime.

Harding said he had just posted a web site to collect contributions toward qualifying for a Citizens Election Program campaign grant.

Republicans have controlled the district the last 42 years, starting with the election of Dell Eads of Kent in 1980. She went on to serve as president pro-tempore and minority leader of the state Senate.

The last Democrat to capture the seat was Joseph Ruggiero of Litchfield, who served one term following his election in 1978.