Candidate Profile: Eleni Kavros DeGraw, 17th House District

The 2022 election is heating up in Connecticut and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Eyes are primarily focused on the gubernatorial election, but every state representative and senate seat is up for grabs. All five of Connecticut's congressional seats are up for grabs as well.

There are 151 seats in the state House of Representatives and 36 in the state Senate.

Democrats currently hold majorities in both chambers over Republicans in the House, 97-54, and in the Senate, 24-12.

Connecticut Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

State Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, D-Avon, is running for another term in the House of Representatives, 17th House District. She is running against Republican hopeful Heather

Maguire. The House seat serves part of Avon and Canton.

Age: 47

Party affiliation: Democrat

Occupation: State representative since January 2021. Long-serving community leader, campaign consultant, development professional and writer.

Education: Graduate of James Madison University and The Campaign School at Yale (formerly the Women’s Campaign School at Yale) as well as Emerge Connecticut.

Previous elected/appointed experience: State representative, elected November 2020.

Family: A resident of the Farmington Valley for more than 20 years, lives in Avon with her three children and husband, who is the founder and chief executive officer of a service-disabled veteran-owned small business.

Campaign website: https://www.teameleni.com

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No

Why are you seeking this office?

I believe that I've been called to public service because of my many years as an advocate in a variety of communities and organizations.

When government works well, it benefits our entire society and my hope is that the work I have done over the last nearly two years demonstrates my commitment to Avon, Canton and the state of Connecticut.

I am a strong voice in the legislature for our communities' diverse needs.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue my constituents face is affordability — that's true whether you're single or just starting a family, you're hoping to help your children afford college or a vocational school, or you want to retire here.

I will continue to advocate for more of the tax cuts and rebates we passed this year while continuing to invest in job training programs and focusing on health care affordability (both insurance and prescriptions).

I'm grateful my bill to phase out personal income tax on IRAs passed as well as my Veterans Municipal Property Tax Credit legislation.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the most accessible and transparent candidate to hold this seat with a proven track record of responding to the needs of my constituents in an efficient and effective manner. Additionally, I've

been a part of some of the most landmark work in CT history — paying down over $5B in pension debt liability, investing $300M in children's mental health and protecting a historic rainy day fund to protect us from future recessions.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

As a member of the Reproductive Rights Caucus, I will defend access to abortion and other reproductive health care.

I will expand on the work I have done for the intellectually and developmentally disabled community ensuring they have access to meaningful employment.

Additionally, I will continue to focus on how we make Connecticut the destination for opening more small businesses while helping the businesses we have to thrive and grow.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

In my freshman term, I was chosen to be the vice chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.

I was able to pass three bills I initiated and dozens more that I co-sponsored and/or co-introduced.

Additionally, I brought critical dollars back to our district through bonding money and grants to address the needs of Avon and Canton.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Be a workhorse not a show horse and get the work done, regardless of obstacles.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am ready to speak to anyone at any time about my position on the issues we face as a district and a state.