Election 2022: Meet 98th House District Candidate Democrat Moira Rader

GUILFORD & BRANFORD, CT —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, plus one U.S. Senate seat, 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

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

Moira Rader, a Guilford resident, is running for State Representative 98th House District which includes parts of Guilford and Branford.

Campaign website

https://www.moiraforct.com

Party affiliation

Democrat

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Villanova University Master of Science - Columbia University, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation Fitch Graduate Fellowship - Columbia University - Puerto Rico, London Post-Graduate Fellowship - World Monuments Fund - Czech Republic

Occupation

Architect / Designer - 25+ years
Licensed Realtor - 5+ years

Family

I've been married to my husband Peter, an architect, for 21 years and we have four wonderful kids: Paedar (19), Maeve (18), Mairead (15), Muiriel (13). We have one adorable puppy, Fionnuala, and feel blessed to call the Mulberry Point area of Guilford our home.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

While noone in our family works in state government, both my husband and I serve on local Guilford boards / committees. My husband Peter has served on the Standing Building Committee for the past 8 years, I have served on the Guilford Board of Education for the past 5 years, currently as the Vice Chair.

Age

52

Previous public office, appointive or elective

I have served on the Guilford Board of Education since 2017. In my first term, I served as Secretary, Chair of the Policy Committee and member of the Operations committee. I was re-elected in November 2021 and now serve as Vice Chair.

Why are you seeking this office?

For over a decade, I have dedicated myself to this amazing community, volunteering my creative problem-solving skills, professional perspective and focused advocacy to numerous local organizations, charities and most significantly, to the Guilford Board of Education as a member for the last 5 years. My service to the community has allowed me to forge strong relationships with our various boards, commissions and town leadership. I have connected with small business owners, learning more about the challenges they face and the supports needed to help them thrive. I have built strong connections with other families across the district, bonding over shared challenges and hopes for our children. I have invested innumerous hours around our public schools, knowing that my service to our students and teachers was a small part of a greater priority to provide an excellent educational opportunity for all of our children. This is all to say that I have a sincere desire to serve this district, a solid understanding around the issues that matter most to our residents and a fervent belief that my personal and professional attributes will allow me to successfully represent their voices in Hartford. My strong foundation in the district, my structural understanding of the issues, and my vision for our state solidifies my resolve to be an outstanding, responsive advocate for the people of this district as their next State Representative.
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 facing my future constituents and residents across the state is inflation. We are all feeling this financial impact in various ways. As I door knock across the district, it is a constant theme of concern for those I speak to, with an understanding that much feels and is beyond our control. But, what is in our control as a state has largely helped to offset some of the financial impacts of global inflation. This past year, the CT General Assembly passed historic tax cuts in an effort to ease this burden for our residents. These measures included the child tax credit for families, removal of the gas tax at the pump and removing the tax for seniors on pensions and annuities. I am encouraged by these efforts and will continue this work around tax relief and support programs to enable us all to weather this storm. Connecticut is in an incredibly strong financial position. Moving forward, we can utilize this fiscal strength to insure we make every effort to ease the financial burden of inflation for our residents and help offset the global impacts it has on Connecticut. I am ready to go to bat for the people of the 98th District, so that we can, together, realize lasting solutions for our state.

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

Leadership matters. I believe that a State Representative, above all other qualifications, needs to have a record of service to their community, strong relationships with their future constituents and a genuine passion to be an advocate and ally for their district members. I have an extensive record of service to this community, a record that includes my 5+ year tenure on the Guilford Board of Education. I have been deeply involved with numerous organizations throughout this community, affording me strong relationships and an earned trust from those I would represent. I have proven how important this community is to me and how sincerely I will seek to advocate for its' residents. In turn, a successful State Representative must have the vast support of their community, demonstrate an understanding of the issues paramount to their district and have the professional maturity to navigate both the challenges and successes that come with the position. I have received the endorsement of numerous local leaders, including our current State Representative Sean Scanlon and State Senator Christine Cohen. My record of service has earned me the endorsement of numerous organizations including the Independent town committee, the Working Families Party and over 14 state-wide labor, educational, environmental and gun safety organizations. I have been a respected professional in the field of architecture, project management and design for over 25 years. I have built a career around creative problem-solving, keen management of complex issues and a unique talent for bringing people together around a shared goal. I understand the issues most pressing for my future constituents: combatting inflation, supporting small business, women's reproductive rights, thriving public schools, affordable health care, mental health supports, environmental resiliency, safer gun laws and improved voter access. I believe that my extensive qualifications, my understanding of the issues, my sincere interest in serving this district and my record of service render me the most qualified candidate for State Representative of the 98th district.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

I am not challenging an incumbent.

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

Together, we have an opportunity to continue and expand upon the great strides Connecticut is making in public education, mental health supports, environmental initiatives, thoughtful budgeting, safer gun legislation, affordable healthcare, supporting small businesses and protecting a woman’s right to reproductive health care. We should support the ballot initiative around early voting and efforts to expand absentee ballot access. I'm encouraged and will be actively engaged in future work to improve our infrastructure, inclusive of clean energy initiatives, improvements to mass transit and projects to remedy our aging bridges and roads. We as a state are in a very heathy fiscal position, with a record surplus, significant payments made to our debts and an ample rainy day fund to support future needs. I look forward to continuing this success around responsible budgeting and working to find creative solutions. I’m excited for this opportunity to represent the concerns of my community and commit to being a strong, sincere voice for the 98th district in the General Assembly.

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

I have always made philanthropy and civic involvement a priority in my life. For several years, I served on the advisory board of the A.W. Cox PTO, where I held positions as both assistant treasurer and treasurer. As a supporting member of the St. George parish, I volunteered as a religious education teacher for several years, working with our youngest students in the K-3 classes. I’ve also had the opportunity to volunteer my support and time to various local non-profits and political campaigns. For the past five years, I have been an elected member of the Guilford Board of Education. It has been an incredibly rewarding, if sometimes challenging position. In my first term, I was named Chair of the Policy Committee, a member of the Operations Committee and Board Secretary. Together with my 8 fellow board members, we have successfully crafted annual budgets that are thoughtful, fiscally responsible and seek to continually elevate the district. We have strengthened the district’s focus on the social & emotional well being of students, while supporting rigorous curriculum that speaks to the potential of every student. As evident, I am a huge advocate for our education system and work tirelessly to insure our students and staff are supported, encouraged and ultimately successful. In November of 2021, I was re-elected to the BOE and named Vice Chair. This re-election was monumental, as Guilford had the highest voter turnout in the state and I received the largest number of votes ever recorded in Guilford history. I have remained energized and inspired by the success of our community engagement and advocacy. This experience solidified my commitment to continually being a voice and advocate for our wonderful town. It also garnered me a growing community of support, which encouraged me to consider more ways in which I could best serve the broader needs of Guilford and Branford. It led me to decide, when the opportunity presented itself, to explore a run for State Representative. The support for my candidacy has been amazing and I am humbled by the vast encouragement and trust community members have put in me to represent their needs and interests in the General Assembly.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My grandfather, James Murray, was an incredible man. Orphaned at a young age, he navigated great challenges, eventually putting himself through school, graduating with a law degree from Notre Dame. His family meant everything to him. He loved his grandchildren fiercely. He would often tell us, with a wink of his eye, to"Take a little. Leave a little". While his sharp sense of humor sometimes applied this point around a dinner table of hungry grandkids, he also used it to remind us that we should always seek to give back. For all that we are given, we should equally work to give back; to those in our community, those in need and causes that positively impact our world. He modeled this philosophy throughout his life, which left an indelible impression on me. It is why I have always felt so passionate about public service, giving of my time and abilities in support of others. The secret of volunteerism and public service is wrapped in my Grandfather's advice. You get so much from serving your community and, in return, you hope to give enough to make a lasting difference. You take a little, you leave a little.

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

I am excited to leverage my vast volunteer experience and professional acumen into this next role as State Representative. I can’t think of a better way to take my passion for volunteerism, my vast professional experiences and my understanding of community needs than to seek this office where I can affect real change and results for the citizens of this wonderful shoreline district. I am ready for this role, I am prepared for the job and I am committed to being the kind of leader that is trusted, dedicated and ultimately successful as the next State Representative for people of Guilford and Branford.