Candidate Profile: Quatina Frazer, 33rd House District

MIDDLETOWN, 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.

Quatina Frazer, 41, of Middletown, is running for election to the House of Representatives in the 33rd District.

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/qfraz...

Party affiliation

Republican

Education

A.S. - Middlesex Community College, 2008; B.S. - Charter Oak State College, 2011; M.A.L.S. - Wesleyan University, 2020

Occupation

Administrative Assistant, 10 years; Photographer, 2 years; Life Insurance Agent, 9 months

Family

I have four sons ages 24, 22, 20, and 17. The older three graduated from a technical high school. The youngest is a senior in high school and current drama club president.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

I do not have any family members that work in politics or government.

Previous public office, appointive or elective

Yes, I served as an alternate commissioner for the Planning and Zoning Commission in Middletown from 2020-2021.

Why are you seeking this office?

I am running for the office of State Representative because I believe I have the courage to advocate on behalf of myself and my community. I desire to aim for change and to use my voice, my skills, and my experience to support and help create legislation that makes sense financially and serves the good of our community.

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

If I had to choose a single term, I'd say the single most pressing issue facing my constituents is cost of living, which really takes into account inflation and taxes. Whether you're in the upper, middle, or lower end of the salary range, households are feeling the effect and are getting less for more. As a single mother of four, I can say that these issues definitely affect quality of life. I plan to sponsor and/or support legislation that is business friendly and that also gives relief to middle-income and vulnerable households.

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

What makes me different is my ability, courage, and faith to lead and succeed amidst challenging circumstances. Not only have I obtained three degrees, two while divorced and raising four children, I also served and still serve in ministry. In tandem with my occupation, my life is a life of service and I seek to enjoy and help improve whatever community that I am a part of.

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

Failed is a strong word. If anything, I'd say that the incumbent could be more visible in and engaging with the community.

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

Other issues that I intend to address during my campaign are affordable and equitable healthcare and housing, personal freedom and liberty, protection of life for the unborn, and safety and choice in education. For me, education was a way and tool to help pull my family above the poverty level.

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

I desire to do my best at anything that I put my heart and mind to. I was a teen mother before I married at the age of 19, and have raised my sons all while becoming divorced, pulling us up from poverty, and obtaining degrees. I have also stepped up in volunteer work and leadership roles, such as being a union steward at my current place of employment. I have also been in ministry close to two decades. With my sons now older, I am willing to use my education, experience, tenacity, and voice to advocate on behalf of the town's constituents.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

One of the best pieces of advice anyone has ever given me is, "Despise not the day of small beginnings!", which is actually a faith statement. When things get tough or they don't go the way that I had hoped, especially as quickly as I had hoped, I remember that everything is a process and that the person we become proud of is made during the journey. That advice has contributed to my grit and willingness to endure whatever comes. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward." I have crawled to finish lines and graduation stages. I hope this advice helps to encourage someone to keep moving forward.

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

I would like voters to know that I believe in responsibility, accountability, and checks and balances. Fairness and diversity, empathy and civility are all needed in a thriving community. I seek to be a voice for my community at the State Capitol that seeks to aim for change.