Crawford Approved for Public Financing

Jim Crawford, the endorsed Democratic candidate for State Senate in the 33rd Senatorial District, announced on Wednesday that his campaign has received final approval for public financing under Connecticut’s Citizens’ Elections Program, the nation’s leading clean elections initiative.

Crawford’s campaign had successfully raised the necessary $15,000 in donations of $100 or less from more than 300 local donors more than two weeks ago, but waited until its application received final approval late last week before making an announcement.

“I am delighted to be participating in public campaign financing, and to have qualified through the support of hundreds of small local donors," Crawford said in a press release. "Now I can focus entirely on talking to voters about the issues that matter most — growing our economy again, and creating the jobs that so many people need.

“The Citizen’s Elections Program has successfully removed the influence of big corporate money on state politics in Connecticut, and more candidates are now running for office than ever before. Compared to what is happening in other states in the aftermath of Citizens United, Connecticut is leading the country by example, showing how clean campaigns can be waged and won. Every Connecticut resident, of all parties, should be proud of this system.”

Crawford, currently serving his first term as a State Representative, is a native of the 33rd Senatorial District. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army after college, then began a 37-year teaching career in the Westbrook Public Schools. During that time, Crawford also owned and operated a small business, the Maples Motel, with his wife Elaine. They have two grown children.

The 33rd Senatorial District is comprised of 12 towns: Chester, Clinton, Colchester, Deep River, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Lyme, a portion of Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook.

This information came from a press release submitted to Patch.